PHOENIX – Several hospitals in the Phoenix area are diverting patients from their emergency rooms due to a backlog in patients.
As of Tuesday morning, six Valley hospitals were actively referring patients, according to an online report from Banner. Up to ten Valley hospitals diverted patients at the same time on Monday.
Banner worked for many months to increase its capacity and staff to meet the increased demand for care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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– Banner Health (@BannerHealth) 29 December 2020
RELATED: Arizona Survives 500,000 Cases of COVID-19
The hospitals are closed for incoming emergency transport and hospital transfers, while health workers are quickly addressing a backlog of patients, according to Banner Health.
The diversion does not apply to patients in need of emergency care.
Hospitals can take off back and forth throughout the day if they can release enough capacity and resources, while others can take longer off, say Banner Health officials.
On Tuesday, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported 2,799 new cases of COVID-19 and 171 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
# NEW Just got similar information from @Maricopahealth according to them a combination of Maricopa – Gila – Pinal provinces.
– 568 (10%) available medical / surgical beds
– 105 (9%) available ICU bedsPima County today reported 8 available ICU beds.
State Dashboard shows 154 available ICUs @ abc15 https://t.co/wwC7mFtHqT
– Mike Pelton (@ MikePeltonABC15) 29 December 2020
According to Banner Health, an influx of patients in Arizona hospitals over the past 48 hours has led to several distractions.
On Tuesday, ABC15 also spoke with a doctor in another hospital system who said that the increase in patients is affecting the entire system worldwide.
“Phoenix often takes care of the rest of the state,” said Dr. Sam Durrani, chairman of the Task Force for Medical Personnel, Honor Health COVID-19, said. “So, Yuma is full, the Navajo Nation is full, they’re moving to Phoenix. If the hospitals divert, we can not accept the patients, because we have to take care of our own community. So if you have diverted several hospitals, it means that hospitals cannot take care of patients who come from outside the state, then they go to other hospitals and fill them up. ‘
Dr. Durrani noted that adequate staffing, not beds, is the biggest problem.
“I think it would be an accurate description to say that the hospital systems are currently being assaulted by COVID-19,” he said.
Dr. Durrani told ABC15 at their facilities that elective operations are already being canceled on a case-by-case basis, and if trends continue, it could be delayed in the next two weeks to free up resources.
“These are cases that need to be done and they need ICU treatment after surgery, so you are talking about patients who need heart surgery,” said Dr. Durrani said. “It is life-saving surgery, patients who need major vascular surgery, repair of aneurysms and things like that, that are slowing us down and it could potentially contribute to overall mortality and morbidity of the pandemic.”