Worst Case Scenario

While multiple strategies are being used to create space, if hospitals were to reach full capacity field hospitals would be the next option.

REPORTED HOWHOSPITALS ARESTRUGGLING WITHSTAFFING, ENDURINGPROBLEMSTRANSFERRINGPATIENTS TO OUT OFSTATE AND COPINGWITH A LACK OFAVAILABLE ROOMSFOR PATIENTS.BUT WHAT HAPPENSIF IDAHO HOSPITALSDO HIT FULLCAPACITY?IDAHO NEWS SIXREPORTER ALEXGRANT HAS THEDETAILS ON WHATHOSPITALS SAYCOULD BE AROUNDTHE CORNER."IF THESE SOCIALDISTANCING QUES,AND YOUR MASKINGAND YOUR TRAVELRESTRICTIONSAREN'T SELF-IMPOSED IN THENEXT FEW WEEKS.

ICOULD SEE THATTIMELINE BEINGSIGNIFICANTLY SPEDUP TO THE POINTWHERE HOLIDAYS,BEGINNING OF THEYEAR WE WILL BE ATMAXIMUMCAPACITY."HOSPITALS HAVEALREADY STOPPEDCONDUCTINGGENERAL SURGERIESAND HAVE STARTEDLOOKING AT OTHERHOSPITALS WHEREPATIENTS CAN GO IFROOMS RUN OUT..EVEN LOOKING OUTOF STATE.

IF ALL OFTHEIR STRATEGIESFAIL, THE NEXT STEPWOULD BE FIELDHOSPITALS."CAN WE TAKE OVERA HOTEL ANDCONVERT IT INTO AHOSPITAL?

CAN WECONVERTAMBULATORYSURGERY CENTERS,CAN WE CONVERTTHEM INTO MINI-ICU'S?

WE WOULDLOOK AT SOME OFTHOSE KINDS OFTHINGS."DR MARTHA TAYLORTOLD IDAHO NEWS 6IN A PREVIOUSINTERVIEW PATIENTSMAY HAVE TO BEPRIORITIZED.

LIKELYMEANING COVIDPATIENTS WOULD BEPUT IN THE REMOTEFACILITY AND THOSEWITH MORECOMPLICATEDPROCEDURES ORPROBLEMS IN THETRADITIONALHOSPITAL."SINCE IT WILL BETHE FURTHEST AWAYFROM ALL THEANSLER SERVICES,IS PUT ALL THECOVID PATIENTSTHERE, BECAUSETHEY WOULD ALLHAVE VERY SIMILARNEEDS, SIMILARPHYSICIANS ANDNURSES THATWOULD NEED TO BEINVOLVED WITHTHEIR CARE."STILL, A PROBLEMTHAT COMES WITHFIELD HOSPITALS ISSTAFFING AND IFTHERE AREN'TENOUGH NURSES ORDOCTORS WITHINTHE STATE,HOSPITALS WOULDNEED TO REACH OUTTO RETIREDPHYSICIANS,AGENCIES THATPROVIDE NURSES OREVEN MEDICALSTUDENTS."COULD WE TAKEPHYSICIANS THATARE STILL INTRAINING IN THEIRRESIDENCY'S?

CANWE MOBILIZE THEM?CAN WE MOBILIZENURSING STUDENTS,PA STUDENTSETCETERA?

WE'LLCERTAINLY LOOK ATALL OF THOSEOPTIONS."FIELD HOSPITALSCAN BE USED UNTILNO LONGER NEEDEDBUT THEN WHATABOUT RESOURCES?DR. PATE SAYS IDAHOHOSPITALS AREDOING WELL IN THATREGARD BUTDEPENDING ON HOWLONG THIS GOES ON ,THERE ARE SOMEAREAS WHICH COULDBE AFFECTED."SHORTAGES INTESTING EQUIPMENT.SHORTAGES INREAGENTS TO RUNTESTS.

SHORTAGESIN TESTING KITS TOTEST PEOPLE.SHORTAGES IN PPE.HEALTH OFFICIALSARE AGAINENCOURAGINGPEOPLE TO WEARSMASKS, SOCIALDISTANCE AND LIMITGATHERINGS OVERTHE COMINGWEEKS.

EVENSUGGESTINGISOLATION FORPEOPLE WHOTRAVELED ORVISITED OTHERS'HOMES FORTHANKSGIVING.

INTWIN FALLS I'M ALEXGRANT, IDAHO NEWSSIX.