As COVID-19 cases surge across the country, some states have encouraged hospitals to once again postpone elective surgeries as they respond to the rising delta variant and struggle with hospital capacity. For example:
- Mississippi‘s Department of Health ordered licensed hospitals to delay certain elective procedures that require overnight hospitalization, beginning Aug. 1; and
- Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) issued an executive order asking all health care facilities to postpone elective surgeries as the state experiences a significant oxygen shortage due to increased COVID-19 cases.
Southern states, including Florida, South Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana, also are reporting low supply of oxygen as hospitalizations rise.
States Address Health Care Workforce Shortages
As the COVID-19 public health emergency continues, health care facilities are experiencing significant workforce shortages. Some states are taking action to combat these shortages:
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) released an executive order extending previous flexibility to allow health care workers licensed outside the state to provide services in California; and
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) released an executive order at the end of August allowing temporary state licenses for health care workers to assist with COVID-19 care. Eligible health care staff include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, technicians, and others.
Visit the America’s Essential Hospitals coronavirus resource page for more information about the pandemic.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
