UW Medicine sees record-number of COVID patients in its hospitals

UW Medicine sees record-high COVID patients

Between its four hospitals, UW Medicine counted 194 inpatients on Jan. 14, all hospitalized for COVID. Compared to Jan. 1, a spokesperson with UW Medicine told FOX 13 News that they had roughly 65 patients between the four hospitals.

SEATTLE - UW Medicine has seen a record-high number of COVID-19 inpatients as of Jan. 14, the organization announced on Friday.

Between its four hospitals, UW Medicine counted 194 inpatients on Jan. 14, all hospitalized with COVID. Compared to Jan. 1, a spokesperson with UW Medicine told FOX 13 News that they had roughly 65 patients between the four hospitals.

"Our capacity strategies include caring for patients in different settings, using nurse and other care extenders, using staffing agencies and postponing non-urgent surgeries consistent with the governor's recent proclamation," said Lisa Brandenburg, President, UW Medicine Hospitals & Clinics. "We know that this feels different for our patients and our staff. And it's unfortunate, but it's required by this highly transmissible variant and the shortages that we're having across the country."

Due to the staffing shortage and fewer available beds, UW and other hospitals across the state have postponed non-urgent surgeries.

Brandenburg also said UW Medicine emergency departments and urgent care clinics are getting rid of routine COVID-19 testing at this time.

During a press conference on Thursday, the Washington State Hospital Association said hospitals in the state are in their "worst situation" since the pandemic began.

Washington State Hospital Association Executive Vice President Taya Briley said there was a significant shortage of staff and hospital beds. She said hospitals are caring for hundreds of patients who do not need to be there, and instead should be in nursing homes, other long-term care settings, or at home with home-care support.

If those patients were moved out, she said, hospitals would have adequate staffing and space to manage the surge in cases with existing hospital resources.

In response, Gov. Jay Inslee announced he would be deploying 100 members of the state National Guard to help hospitals that are strapped. The National Guard will set up testing sites and assist in non-medical tasks.

Inslee announced Thursday that teams will be deployed to assist four overcrowded emergency departments at hospitals in Everett, Yakima, Wenatchee and Spokane, and that testing teams will be based at hospitals in Olympia, Richland, Seattle and Tacoma.

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