{"id":16325,"date":"2021-09-29T11:41:43","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T15:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=16325"},"modified":"2021-09-29T11:41:44","modified_gmt":"2021-09-29T15:41:44","slug":"montana-free-press-covid-19-hospitalizations-reach-record-high-in-montana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/09\/29\/montana-free-press-covid-19-hospitalizations-reach-record-high-in-montana\/","title":{"rendered":"Montana Free Press: COVID-19 hospitalizations reach record high in Montana"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Billings<\/a>
Billings Clinic emergency department manager Brad Von Bergen and Dr. Jaimee Belsky show a hallway at the Billings Clinic i Billings, Montana, that has been converted into several small patient rooms. The hospital\u2019s intensive care unit has been over capacity amid a deadly surge. Photo courtesy Billings Clinic<\/figcaption>\r\n
VA agreement adds six beds as COVID cases and hospitalizations climb<\/div>\r\n
The extra capacity, announced by Gov. Greg Gianforte, comes as beleaguered Montana hospitals plan for rationing of medical care.<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, September 29, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Eric Dietrich<\/div>\r\n
Montana Free Press<\/DIV>\r\n
montanafreepress.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAs the number of Montanans hospitalized with COVID-19<\/a> reached its highest level since winter last week week, Gov. Greg Gianforte said his administration has secured an agreement to make six hospital beds at the Fort Harrison VA medical center available for patients who don\u2019t otherwise qualify for health care through the Veterans Affairs system.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nAs of Friday, state health authorities reported the state has 416 active COVID-19 hospitalizations stemming from the renewed surge in cases that began in July. According to state data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project<\/a>, the state\u2019s record hospitalization count so far in the pandemic was 506 patients on November 20 of last year.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nEven without breaking the record, the latest wave of COVID-19 cases, coupled with a shortage of health care workers, has stretched Montana\u2019s emergency care system increasingly thin. Multiple hospitals in the state have said they\u2019re being forced to consider rationing medical services and supplies<\/a>.

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We\u2019ve secured an agreement with the feds to use open beds at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center to support hospitals\u2019 COVID-19 response. While this is another important tool, the best solution remains Montanans talking with their doctor or pharmacist and getting vaccinated.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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<\/p>\r\nGianforte said last week he is assigning National Guard members to give beleaguered hospitals additional hands on deck<\/a>. Including assignments to Livingston, Whitefish, Kalispell and Plains announced Friday, the state now has 124 guard members assigned to health facilities around the state.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nGianforte\u2019s office and the state Department of Public Health and Human Services have also issued an emergency rule<\/a> intended to make it easier to free up hospital beds by transferring patients between facilities.

<\/P>\r\n\r\nThe new agreement with the VA gives Montana hospitals permission to transfer patients to as many as two acute care beds and four medical surge beds at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 Fort Harrison hospital in Helena. The governor\u2019s office says the VA will accept patients \u201cif it has the capacity and capability to provide required care.\u201d

<\/P>\r\n\r\n\u201cWith more hospital beds available, hospitals now have another tool in their toolbox to treat Montanans in need of care as their systems are strained,\u201d Gianforte said in a statement<\/a>.

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