PHOENIX – Several hospitals in the Phoenix area are diverting patients from their emergency rooms due to patient delay.
As of Tuesday morning, six hospitals in the Valley were actively diverting patients, according to an online publication from Banner. Up to ten hospitals in the valley diverted patients at the same time Monday.
Banner has worked for many months to expand its capacity and staff in order to meet the growing demand for care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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– Banner Health (@BannerHealth) December 29, 2020
RELATED: Arizona exceeds 500,000 cases of COVID-19
According to Banner Health, hospitals are closed to emergency transports and incoming hospital transfers, while health workers are quickly facing an accumulation of patients.
The deviation does not apply to patients who need emergency care.
Hospitals can be diverted or diverted throughout the day if they can release enough capacity and resources, while others can stay in fun for longer, Banner Health officials said.
On Tuesday, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 2,799 new cases of COVID-19 and an additional 171 deaths related to COVID-19.
#NEW I just received similar information from @Maricopahealth which they say is a combo of Maricopa – Gila – Pinal counties.
– 568 (10%) medical / surgical beds available
– 105 (9%) beds available for ICUPima County reported today 8 beds available for ICU.
State Dashboard shows 154 available ICUs @ abc15 https://t.co/wwC7mFtHqT
– Mike Pelton (@ MikePeltonABC15) December 29, 2020
According to Banner Health, the influx of patients to Arizona hospitals during the previous 48 hours caused several to be diverted.
On Tuesday, ABC15 also spoke with a doctor from a different hospital system who said the rise in patients was stressing the entire system across the state.
“Phoenix often takes care of the rest of the state,” said Dr. Sam Durrani, chair of the COVID-19 Honor Health medical staff working group. “So Yuma is full, the Navajo nation is full, they move to Phoenix. If hospitals are diverted, we can’t accept these patients because we have to take care of our own community. So when you have multiple hospitals to divert , this means that those hospitals cannot treat patients who come from outside the state, then go to other hospitals and fill up. “
Dr. Durrani noted that proper staffing, not beds, is the main problem.
“I think it would be an accurate description to say that hospital systems are being attacked by COVID-19 right now,” he said.
Dr. Durrani told ABC15 at his facility that elective surgeries are already being canceled on a case-by-case basis and, if trends persist, they could be delayed in the next two weeks to help free up resources.
“These are cases that need to be done and need postoperative ICU care, so you’re talking about patients who need heart surgery,” Dr. Durrani said. “This is a life-saving surgery, patients who need major vascular surgeries, aneurysm repair and things like that, that we are lagging behind and that can increase the overall mortality and morbidity of the pandemic.”