Week 31 Newsletter

(11/06/20) Ballad Health Seeks 350 Nurses As COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rise
Ballad Health in Tennessee is seeking to hire 350 nurses to meet COVID-19-related demand in hospitals. As hospitalized patients rise, staff is struggling to keep up and some nurses are being given more patients in an effort to meet the need.

(11/05/20) COVID Spike Leads to Concerns About Hospitals in KY, IN
This article focuses on the spikes in hospitalizations in Kentucky and Indiana which are causing concern over the continued capacity of hospitals to respond. Hospitals in both states have seen significant increases in hospitalization, including more than doubling the capacities of the intensive care units, leading to changes in how staff is scheduled to meet demand.

(11/06/20) 58,300 Healthcare Jobs Added in October; Hospitals See Job Gains
For the sixth consecutive month, the health care sector has added jobs following the drops in employment amid initial pandemic-related shutdowns. Of these jobs, the majority came from hospitals, followed by physician offices and dental offices. 

(11/06/20) Mayo Clinic, Banner Health Say They Have Thousands of Job Openings
Both the Mayo Clinic and Banner Health are seeking workers for clinics in the southwestern United States, primarily Arizona and surrounding states. Nursing is in the highest demand, as well as support positions. Many hires have been made on a per diem basis to help address the COVID-19 pandemic.

(11/05/20) What COVID-19 Exposed in Long-term Care
This article covers the difficulties experienced by nursing homes and other long-term care facilities across the United States in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Years of financial and staffing issues contributed to a setting where 40% of all deaths from COVID-19 occurred in long-term care. 

(11/09/20) Boston, NY Hospitals Collaborate on Telehealth Platform for COVID-19 Rehab
Health systems in both Boston and New York City are combining efforts to develop a telehealth platform with a goal of improving clinical outcomes for discharged patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

(11/05/20) Ever-changing Patient Needs Require Embrace of Digital Technologies
In this opinion piece, the author advocates for further adoption and utilization of telehealth technology to better meet the needs of patients. The author describes her organization’s use of telehealth to benefit patients, advocates, and survivors of lung cancer in the time of COVID-19.

(11/04/20) Op-Ed | Telehealth Services Are Remarkably Effective—Let’s Make Sure They Stay Funded
An op-ed piece discussing the importance of funding telehealth services to maintain their effectiveness. The author details how telehealth has been used to provide better care for the homeless in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(11/06/20) ‘Suffocating’: Doctors Describe COVID-19 Challenges Faced by Indiana’s Healthcare Workers
This article highlights a recent COVID-19 update from both Indiana’s Governor and State Health Commissioner. The update focused on the burden COVID-19 is placing on the health workforce, with front-line health care workers reportedly experiencing burnout and staffing shortages.

(11/05/20) First COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Go to Health Workers, Say CDC Advisers
A committee head for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that health care workers will be prioritized to receive the first doses of any effective COVID-19 vaccine. The order in which health care providers are granted access to an approved vaccine will depend on the approval process from the Food and Drug Administration itself.

(11/06/20) Governor: New Mexico in ‘Extreme Crisis’ With COVID-19
The Governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, has announced the state is in “an extreme crisis” addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and will have difficulties meeting the staffing demands to conduct adequate testing and treat hospitalized patients.