The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association said Monday that key parts of the state's health care system are now considered “high risk,” and that the crisis is primarily being fueled by a large backlog of patients waiting to be discharged. Stated.
Signing that the situation is worsening due to severe financial difficulties at Steward Healthcare, the MHA said Friday that it has no plans to close any safety-net hospitals in Massachusetts, but some facilities are He hinted that it may eventually come under new ownership.
The Department of Public Health last week raised the risk level for two health care regions in metropolitan Boston and northeastern Massachusetts to Tier 3, which means hospitals may reduce “elective and non-emergency procedures and services.” MHA announced that there is. Said. Designated hospitals are also required to meet frequently to discuss bed availability.
“It's certainly a crisis for those on the front lines, and the public is working hard to alleviate the stress hospitals are facing,” Patricia Noga, MHA's vice president of clinical affairs, said in the group's newsletter on Monday. We can play a role.” “Seeking the right care in the right place is essential. Emergency departments see patients who need care, but they also deal with serious illnesses and injuries that cannot be handled in primary care or urgent care settings. “It's designed to save time where appropriate and ensure patients in true emergencies get the care they need, when they need it.”
This is the second time in recent years that Massachusetts General Hospital has requested additional beds. Follow NBC10 Boston… Instagram: instagram.com/nbc10boston TikTok: tiktok.com/@nbc10boston Facebook: facebook.com/NBC10Boston X: twitter.com/NBC10Boston
States determine risk level tiering using a scale of 0 to 4 based on risk factors such as spikes in certain diseases, staffing issues, emergency department utilization, and bed availability. . In an alert sent to providers, DPH said the new risk levels were issued “to ensure appropriate situational awareness and rapid response to capacity constraints and workforce challenges.”
Other areas of the state, including southeastern Massachusetts and the Cape Islands, have been assigned to Phase 3 starting in early 2023. In January, the state outlined an agreement between hospitals, insurance companies and long-term care facilities to help them operate more smoothly and efficiently. Transfer patients between hospitals.
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The hospital capacity crunch is “further precarious due to the unstable finances and uncertainty surrounding the Steward Healthcare System,” the MHA said.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren slams embattled Steward Healthcare, saying management “put profits before patients” and did everything possible to hide critical information about its financial health from state authorities. did.
