ELKRIDGE, Md — With hospitals in the state nearly full and cases rising by the day, hospitals are seeing fewer clinicians ready to care for all patients.
Hospitals have paused or delayed surgeries that can be safely put off and worked with insurers, skilled nursing facilities, behavioral health providers, and others to quickly find treatment for patients that no longer require acute care.
On Tuesday, Dec. 28, MHA President & CEO Bob Atlas asked the administration to reinstate a limited public health emergency declaration for health care, health care services, and health care staffing.
“We respectfully ask the Governor and Secretary of Health to help the hospitals by offering the flexibilities and protections that a limited PHE affords,” Mr. Atlas says.
Health officials say the main concern for hospitals is that personnel are stretched to their limits. Maryland hospitals have been using pandemic plans to address COVID-19 but are operating under crisis standards of care as COVID-19 numbers rise to an all-time high.