Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Daunting Math When It Comes To Ventilators And ICU Beds: A Look At What Places Are Strained Most For Resources
The New York Times: These Places Could Run Out Of Hospital Beds As Coronavirus Spreads
A new Harvard analysis shows that many parts of the United States will have far too few hospital beds if the new coronavirus continues to spread widely and if nothing is done to expand capacity. In 40 percent of markets around the country, hospitals would not be able to make enough room for all the patients who became ill with Covid-19, even if they could empty their beds of other patients. That statistic assumes that 40 percent of adults become infected with the virus over 12 months, a scenario described as “moderate” by the team behind the calculations. (Sanger-Katz, Kliff and Parlapiano, 3/17)
NBC News: U.S. Hospital Association Warns Of Ventilator Shortage If Coronavirus Proliferates
The largest national hospital organization is pleading with Americans to abide by precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, warning it's the only way to avoid running out of ventilators or otherwise overwhelming the health care system. "There are limited supplies of ventilators and hospital beds, which is why hospitals and public health officials all across the country are urging the public to follow the guidance of the CDC and other public health leaders on social distancing and other actions," Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and patient safety policy at the American Hospital Association, which represents nearly 5,000 hospitals and other health care organizations, said in a statement to NBC News. (Chuck, 3/17)
The Associated Press: Hospitals Fear Shortage Of Ventilators For Virus Patients
Hospitals are rushing to rent more ventilators from medical-equipment suppliers. And manufacturers are ramping up production. But whether they can turn out enough of the machines at a time when countries around the world are clamoring for them, too, is unclear. “The real issue is how to rapidly increase ventilator production when your need exceeds the supply,” Dr. Lewis Kaplan, president of the critical care society, said Tuesday. “For that I don’t have a very good answer.” (Tanner and Johnson, 3/17)
NPR: Community Hospitals Get Set For Strain Of Coronavirus
Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. is in full-on preparation mode. On a recent visit the staff had already marked out the parking lot — painting green rectangles to mark the places where tents are starting to be set up to screen arriving patients for COVID-19. In a medical building on the hospital grounds, the director for emergency management, Craig DeAtley, opens the door to a room crammed with supplies. (Simmons-Duffin and Aizenman, 3/17)
Modern Healthcare: Here's What Providers Want In Congress' Economic Stimulus Bill
Providers have compiled a laundry list of requests for lawmakers to help hospitals and healthcare workers prepare for a surge in COVID-19 patients .Congress is beginning negotiations on its third major legislative package to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears the bill will originate in the Senate, where leaders on both sides have said they want to provide support to frontline healthcare workers. (Cohrs, 3/17)
Modern Healthcare: Physician Practices Changing Their Model To Cope With COVID-19
Beginning Tuesday, staff at Indiana University Health Physicians are calling patients with scheduled appointments for routine care to come in at a later date, many being scheduled six weeks out. The decision is one of many IU Health Physicians has made over the last 10 days to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus and protect its workforce, which consists of 200 primary-care and 1,700 specialty physicians spread across over 150 ambulatory locations in Indiana. (Castellucci and Meyer, 3/17)
The Wall Street Journal: Financial Institutions Share Stockpiles Of Face Masks With NYC Hospitals
The Greater New York Hospital Association is asking New York City’s large companies and financial institutions to share their stockpiles of face masks as local hospitals grapple with dwindling supplies. New York City had reported 814 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus as of Tuesday afternoon, and state and federal authorities have already begun dipping into government stockpiles to distribute masks and other medical equipment. (King, 3/17)
The Washington Post: How Hospitals In Virginia, Maryland And D.C. Are Responding For Coronavirus
As the number of Washington-area residents testing positive for the novel coronavirus climbs, hospitals are racing to enact a two-pronged strategy — expand testing capability and free up beds — in preparation for what could be a months-long response to the global pandemic. Montgomery County hospitals are installing treatment and triage tents. Kaiser Permanente set up five drive-through testing sites in Maryland and Virginia for patients who have a prescription, and Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington and a health-care system in Hampton Roads, Va., are testing people via drive-through if they meet certain criteria. (Portnoy, Chason and Swenson, 3/17)
NBC News: Coronavirus: Ventilator Rush Faces Regulatory And Logistical Obstacles
One doctor described the machines as being like "gold." Ventilators have quickly become the most sought-after medical device in the world because of their ability to help save the lives of some of the sickest coronavirus patients. What worries experts is that it's increasingly clear many countries — including the United States and much of Europe — have nowhere near enough of them to keep pace with a pandemic killing exponentially more people every day. (Smith, 3/17)
ABC News: American Red Cross Faces 'Severe Blood Shortage' As Cancellations Increase Due To Coronavirus
The American Red Cross said they're now facing a "severe blood shortage," as blood drives across the country continue to be cancelled as concerns over the novel coronavirus pandemic grow. "Right now, the Red Cross is distributing blood donations faster than they are coming in," Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of the American Red Cross, told ABC News. (Schnell, 3//17)
