McLean County ICU beds at capacity, health leaders share concerns - HOI ABC

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McLean County (Heart of Illinois ABC) - The McLean County Health Department reported Thursday, every ICU hospital bed in the county was being used. While it was not just COVID-19 patients, health leaders are concerned.

“I think people have a perception that the hospital is completely full with patients with COVID-19,” Lynn Fulton, President of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center.

While a majority of the ICU patients do not have COVID-19, health leaders say it is a concerning factor as to why all of the hospitals in the county are at capacity in the ICU.

“It’s just that added volume on top of what we already have, really creates those capacity restraints,” said Fulton.

Fulton attributes the holidays, colder weather and more people spending time indoors to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. When more patients are in the ICU for COVID-19, it creates less space for people who have other emergencies that require them to be in the ICU.

“Resources are finite. We only have so many physicians, so many nurses,” said Fulton.

Along with OSF, Carle BroMenn Medical Center also says increases in capacity are not its only concern.

“Our staff are certainly very tired, they’re frustrated,” said Colleen Kannaday, President of Carle BroMenn Medical Center and Carle Eureka Hospital.

Kannaday said it has added weight to frontline workers. On top of that, she said some COVID patients stay in the hospital for weeks.

“They tend to stay for very long period of time, sometimes upwards of three, four, five weeks,” said Kannaday.

“We’re braced for the winter months to manage through it and really do the best we can,” said Fulton.

Both health care leaders are pleading to the community to follow COVID safety guidelines.

“Do all those things to help protect capacity for those who will truly need our hospital services,” said Fulton.

As well as, asking people to get vaccinated or their booster shot.

“Individuals that are vaccinated are continuing to show that even if they might get COVID, they are certainly not going to get as sick,” said Kannaday.

Copyright 2021 Heart of Illinois ABC. All rights reserved.

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