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California Hospitals Concerned About Staffing Shortages Due To Surge
The L.A. Convention Center is being converted into a field hospital to be managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in case of an influx of COVIC-19 patients. (Via L.A. Mayor's Twitter account)
Hospital officials in California say they’re concerned about staffing as hospitalizations from COVID-19 reach all-time highs in the state. L.A. County officials said Wednesday they saw more than 2,200 people hospitalized for four days in a row.
“Capacity is made up of not just space and beds, said Carmela Coyle, of the California Hospital Association. "In fact, those things are among the easiest to resolve. But it is all about staff and personal protective equipment, and testing. And unfortunately all three of those things are in short supply."
Staffing concerns were serious enough that last week, the U.S. Air Force sent medical support teams to several hospitals in California, including Eisenhower Medical Center in Riverside County.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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