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Idaho healthcare systems pausing elective surgeries, closing doors earlier

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Posted at 1:10 PM, Aug 31, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-01 09:35:23-04

Two Idaho healthcare systems announced major changes necessary to be able to accommodate an increase in COVID-19 patients.

Primary Health announced it will not be accepting new patients after 7 p.m. Tuesday due to urgent care clinics that are over capacity with patients reporting COVID-19 symptoms. The medical group reports it saw a record number of urgent care patients Monday with more than 2,000 visits across 21 clinics — the majority of whom were testing for COVID-19 symptoms.

Primary Health CEO David Peterman said in a statement the fourth wave of the virus is impacting "every aspect of care we offer."

“I’ve been in urgent care and primary care for 30 years, and it’s inconceivable to me we’re at a point where we can’t see all the patients who want to see us," Peterman said in a statement. "Our healthcare workers are exhausted and working hard to see every patient and answer every call. But at some point, it’s just too much. This is a serious crisis. I am pleading with the public to wear your mask. Get your vaccine. If we can’t see you, you’ll have to go to the hospital, and the hospitals are full.”

Related: COVID-19 forces Idaho hospitals past capacity, toward crisis

Primary Health officials ask people to take the following precautions to help alleviate the strain on local healthcare systems:

  • Get vaccinated (ages 12+)
  • Wear a mask in all indoor public places, especially schools, and outdoors when you can’t properly distance, to reduce the odds of being exposed to COVID and requiring a test due to exposure or symptoms
  • Established patients of Primary Health, use your Patient Portal to contact us rather than calling a clinic
  • Get vaccinated (ages 12+)
  • Wear a mask in all indoor public places, especially schools, and outdoors when you can’t properly distance, to reduce the odds of being exposed to COVID and requiring a test due to exposure or symptoms
  • Established patients of Primary Health, use your Patient Portal to contact us rather than calling a clinic

Related: Is it safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot at the same time? CDC says yes.

St. Luke's announced Tuesday it will pause certain elective in- and outpatient procedures at all of its Treasure Valley locations and Elmore locations beginning Sept. 1.

The healthcare system's Magic Valley location will extend the existing pause on elective surgeries requiring an overnight stay. Some elective outpatient surgeries and procedures will be reduced as well beginning Sept. 2.

Related: Vaccines, testing available every Tuesday at Malheur County Fairgrounds

Saint Alphonsus will also pause non-emergency surgeries and procedures, the health system announced Tuesday evening. Any non-emergency procedures requiring an overnight stay at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Boise or Nampa will be paused through Sept. 18. Saint Als says the pause will be evaluated daily.

Any emergency and time-sensitive procedures or care will still be done at both hospitals. Outpatient surgeries are still going forward, subject to capacity constraints, according to a news release from Saint Als.

“To preserve capacity in our hospitals, we are asking Idahoans to protect themselves and serve their neighbors by choosing to get vaccinated. All COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective and are readily available in our community,” said Travis Leach, president of Saint Alphonsus Medical Center Nampa, in a statement.

Saint Als officials say the inpatient hospital census at both Nampa and Boise Saint Als locations exceeds 100% of total staffed beds. More than 20% of all patients in Boise and 35% of the patients in Nampa are COVID-19 cases, according to the release.

"These are record volumes never seen during the entire 18-month pandemic. Saint Alphonsus Health System continues to enforce visitation restrictions and requires all persons entering our facilities to wear appropriate face coverings and maintain greater than 6-foot distance at all times," according to Saint Als.

COVID-19 fourth wave in Idaho

The announcements come as Idaho's coronavirus cases surge and hospitals near capacity. To help the healthcare systems currently "overwhelmed" with unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, Gov. Brad Little announced he will activate the Idaho National Guard. Little announced the move is in efforts to help Idaho avoid activating crisis standards of care for the first time in state history.