Mass. hospitals to reduce non-essential elective procedures

Massachusetts hospitals, which are once again facing critical staffing and bed shortages, will soon be limiting non-essential pre-scheduled procedures to preserve resources and capacity.

“The current strain on hospital capacity is due to longer than average hospital stays and significant workforce shortages, separate and apart from the challenges brought on by COVID,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders in a statement.

“COVID hospitalizations in Massachusetts remain lower than almost every other state in the nation, but the challenges the healthcare system face(s) remain,” she continued. “This order will ensure hospitals can serve all residents, including those who require treatment for COVID-19.”

According to data compiled by the New York Times, Massachusetts hospitals are at 82% ICU capacity, compared to 69% capacity nationally.

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order, announced Tuesday and developed by the Baker-Polito administration and the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, goes into effect Monday, Nov. 29.

It instructs any hospital or hospital system that has limited capacity to start reducing “non-essential, non-urgent scheduled procedures that may require the use of bed capacity and/or services,” according to the order. The guidance is aimed at preserving capacity for more pressing health needs.

State officials said the changes were due largely to ripple effects of the pandemic, including staffing shortages across the health care system and about 500 fewer beds available statewide in both medical/surgical and intensive care units.

There is also “an unusually high number of patients with other health problems – many of whom were hesitant to seek treatment during the height of the pandemic and whose health issues have become more serious over time,” said Dr. Kevin Tabb, president & CEO of Beth Israel Lahey Health.

These factors, coupled with a typical bump in hospital stays during the period from Thanksgiving through January, led to the decision.

“While we recognize that delaying some pre-scheduled surgeries may present a significant hardship for patients, we believe it is a necessary step to assure that all of the commonwealth’s hospitals can continue to meet the needs of patients requiring emergency care,” said Dr. Eric Dickson, MHA Board Chair and president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health.

The order will remain in effect either until Gov. Charlie Baker terminates the state’s Public Health Emergency or it’s rescinded by Acting Commissioner of Public Health Margret Cooke.

Massachusetts previously put a similar order in effect at the end of last year, and elective surgeries resumed in March of this year.