With an escalating wave of flu cases across the United States, hospitals are taking drastic action to secure capacity for vital care. As this aggressive flu season swells admission numbers and crowds emergency departments, certain hospitals are making the strategic decision to postpone elective procedures. One such medical institution, UnityPoint Health-Des Moines, announced it will delay some surgeries and procedures requiring an overnight stay until the middle of January. This decision reflects a conscious effort to concentrate resources on patients with immediate care needs, while upholding standards of top-tier care.
Hospital capacity is under constant surveillance, ensuring patients and health professionals alike stay informed. Despite the climbing influenza admissions nationwide, experts predict the peak of the crisis is still ahead of us. CDC data reveals that over 33,000 individuals were hospitalized with the flu in the week ending on December 27. Hospital administrators are bracing for these numbers to continue trending upwards.
Such strain is evidenced by the experience of UNC Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C., where medical director Daniel Park described an environment ‘bursting at the seams’. Contributing to the severity of this year’s flu season is the historical high level of outpatient visits. For the week ending December 27, the CDC reported roughly 8.2% of these visits due to flu-related illnesses – the highest level seen since the 1997-98 season. This influenza crisis also triggered an all-time high hospitalization number for New York State, with more than 4,500 reported in one week. Rapid and severe surges in flu cases are also seen in Michigan, with a 40% increase from the same time last year, and health officials are noting an alarming rise in child hospitalizations due to flu.
The ongoing flu surge is amplifying an existing challenge for hospitals, where capacity pressures are a constant battle, even outside of respiratory virus season. To combat this, focus has shifted onto patient throughput as a year-round operation. This has led to innovative efforts to reduce lengths of stay, coordinate discharges more efficiently and alleviate pressure on emergency departments.