Painting a picture of a system under strain, UMMC Vice Chancellor shared a graphic today on the current situation.
The opening line stating that the crisis in Mississippi is worsening and the outlook for hospitals is “grim.” Many of those sentiments echoed in comments from the State Hospital Asssociation.
”So, hospitals are all being faced with the challenge downstream of where we should have stepped up on the front end and tried to do more to prevent the spread,” said Mississippi Hospital Association President/CEO Tim Moore. ”Hospitals are doing everything they possibly can to help solve this problem,” added Moore. “We need the public’s help.”
The short term contingency plans include things like asking hospitals to activate surge plans and reserve certain amount of ICU space for COVID-19 patients. But what about the long-term plan?
”At some point we may have to open up a ward style location in a non-traditional place like you’ve seen in other states,” explains State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs.