The frontline fighters in the war on coronavirus are lacking diagnostic tests, protective gear, and cash, the Health and Human Services Department inspector general reported on Monday.
After conducting a “pulse survey” March 23-27, the IG found that administrators in 323 hospitals are struggling as the COVID-19 pandemic creates unprecedented demand for face masks and guards, gowns, and life-saving ventilators.
“Hospitals reported that their most significant challenges centered on testing and caring for patients with COVID-19 and keeping staff safe,” the IG said. “Hospitals said that severe shortages of testing supplies and extended waits for test results limited hospitals’ ability to monitor the health of patients and staff.”
“They also reported that widespread shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) put staff and patients at risk. In addition, hospitals said that they were not always able to maintain adequate staffing levels or to offer staff adequate support,” the report added. “Hospitals also reported turning to non-medical-grade PPE, such as construction masks or handmade masks and gowns, which they worried may put staff at risk.”
At daily White House briefings, President Trump and his coronavirus task force have listed the thousands of PPE items being shipped around the country by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The White House said on Sunday that over 1.6 million virus diagnostic tests have been completed as the U.S. tally of confirmed infections appears to be growing more slowly. The daily increase has averaged less than 13 percent in recent days, to nearly 360,000.
A statistical model by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at one point said the nation would need 150,000 hospital beds by today for COVID-19 patients. It has scaled that number back to 80,000.
The actual number of infectious people who have been been hospitalized is about 42,000.
Some Democratic governors complain the White House bungled the COVID-19 response, after the first case appeared in Washington state in mid January. Others, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have praised Mr. Trump’s efforts to deliver medical gear.
The inspector general said hospitals are adopting unconventional means to cover for personal shortages, such as quickly training non-specialists on how to care for people on ventilators.
“Hospitals reported needing items that support a patient room, such as intravenous therapy (IV) poles, medical gas, linens, toilet paper, and food,” the IG said. “Others reported shortages of no-touch infrared thermometers, disinfectants, and cleaning supplies. Isolated and smaller hospitals faced special challenges maintaining the supplies they needed and restocking quickly when they ran out of supplies.”
The same hospitals reported they are under increasing financial stress. Some were depleting cash reserves.
“This is the first nationwide, comprehensive information from hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis that informs the public of the support and resources that hospitals continue to need,” said IG spokesperson Melissa Rumley.
• Rowan Scarborough can be reached at rscarborough@washingtontimes.com.
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