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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNew Mexico close to rationing hospital care amid pandemic
Source: Associated Press
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
August 25, 2021
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Top health officials warned Wednesday that New Mexico is about a week away from rationing health care as COVID-19 infections continue to climb.
State Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said during a briefing that the state is tracking along with its worst-case projections when it comes to spread of the virus and resulting hospitalizations. He pointed to an increase of more than 20% in pandemic patients needing care in just the past day, saying theres a waiting list of about 50 patients who need intensive care.
Were going to have to choose who gets care and who doesnt get care, he said, and we dont want to get to that point.
It was December 2020 when New Mexico was last at the brink of having to ration care. Unlike many other states, New Mexico was able to weather that crisis by having a cooperative system in place among hospitals throughout the state that allowed them to transfer as needed to ensure there were no gaps in care.
-snip-
Scrase said the biggest constraint right now is the shortage of nurses and other health care workers. While federal aid is available to help bring in traveling nurses, he said that pool of workers is in high demand as states across the country are feeling the pinch.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-health-new-mexico-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-9f276bd8deef741305d216a249c55bc3
Midnight Writer
(21,819 posts)And that is due 100% to people not getting vaccinated.
roamer65
(36,747 posts)You all made ur choice, so fucking suck it up and live with it.
womanofthehills
(8,784 posts)Massachusetts just reported 40.% of their cases were the vaccinated last week and 36% this week.
https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/15739-breakthrough-covid-19-cases-in-massachusetts-3098-reported-in-one-week/amp/
KentuckyWoman
(6,697 posts)They could not overturn ACA for bigger profits so just bury the whole damn system.
Yes, I know that is tin foil hat. I am unsure of it myself. But the RW is pushing so hard to convince people not to do the simplest things to end this ... they pushing so hard to get the max they can in a hospital. Doctors and nurses are breaking. Nursing homes are breaking. Hospitals are drowning in uncompensated care.
It makes no sense really but GOP seems hell bent on destroying medicine.
Auggie
(31,207 posts)Create a disaster (or allow one to happen), then "solve" it by passing pro-corporate legislation.
In their sites: Affordable Care Act, Social Security, Medicare.
KentuckyWoman
(6,697 posts)Fauci needs a body guard for daring to be a scientist and people are taking horse meds.
The crazy is just inconceivable to me. Never ever would I guess we would have to tell people not to shoot clorox into their veins.
UTUSN
(70,762 posts)luckone
(21,646 posts)retire someday from the cold winters of Chicago . Im from a big blue town so couldnt imagine even purple
I appreciate the diversity here and the peoples manner it could work out great but I found out that healthcare in the state is not as good . I found out they have the lowest count of icu beds per 1000 in the nation and many hospitals were short on staff even before pandemic -primary care provider shortages etc.
Another risk factor is the rurality of New Mexico lots of little towns means little facilities
The local NM news started with shortages of beds and staff tonight
Saw local feeds about long ER waits for non covid issues because covid is dominating the ERs
BlueIdaho
(13,582 posts)Are now a reality.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,914 posts)I'm in Santa Fe, and everyone here is back to wearing masks in public.
Last December I had a heart attack (I've recovered nicely, thank you for asking). I not only didn't realize it was a heart attack, but I was hesitant to go to the local hospital for fear they'd be so overwhelmed I couldn't get treated for whatever it was.
Fortunately, the medical staff could tell immediately it was a heart attack, got a stent put in (we really have excellent cardiologists here) and after three days in the hospital I went home.