Lee Health to add 100 hospital beds by end of July

Lee Health to add 100 hospital beds by end of July

The CEO of Lee Health says they’re working to bring back additional staff by the end of this month, so they can open 100 more hospital beds.

CONTROVERSIAL POLICY.FOX FOUR NEWS AT 6 STARTS RIGHTNOW.TODAY- FLORIDA REPORTED 132 NEWDEATHS- THAT’S A DAILY RECORDFOR THE STATE.THANKS FOR JOINING ME FOR FOXFOUR NEWS AT 6- I AM JANEMONREAL.DURING TODAY’S MEDIABRIEFING-LEE HEALTH TALKED ABOUTJUST HOW CLOSE THEIR HOSPITALSARE TO REACHING CAPACITY.THIS COMES AS DOZENS OFHOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE ARECOMPLETELY FULL DUE TO THERECENT SURGE IN COVID CASES.FOX 4’S RACHEL LOYD SHARES HOWTHEY PLAN TO PREVENT THAT FROMHAPPENING HERE.

RACHEL?(LLINTRO)LEE HEALTH IS CURRENTLY AT 95PERCENT OPERATIONAL CAPACITY.THEIR PLAN IS TO BRING BACKSTAFF SO THEY CAN ADD A HUNDREDMORE HOSPITAL BEDS BY THE END OFTHE MONTH.UNLIKE 40 OTHER HOSPITALS INFLORIDALEE HEALTH ISN’T FULLYBOOKED JUST YET.

BUT THEY’REPRETTY CLOSE.THEY’RE SEEING AN UNPRECEDENTEDNUMBER OF PATIENTS DURING THESUMMER.

A TIME WHEN THEY WOUNORMALLY ONLY NEED TO USE ATOTAL OF 1,000 BEDS IN ALL THEIRHOSPITALS.We’ve added 300 beds that wouldnormally not be open this timeof year.

And what we’re planningon doing in the next month is toget us to 1400.

And ifnecessary, maybe 1500 a monthafter that.SO NOW THEY’RE TURNING TO TRAVELNURSES AND BRINGING BACK STAFFWHO USUALLY TAKE THE SUMMERS OOR RECENTLY TOOK A SABBATICALWHEN NUMBERS DECREASED WEEKSAGO.ANTONUCCI ALSO MENTIONED THEIRREMDESIVIR STOCK GOT REPLENISHEDMONDAY.

THIS COMES AFTER REPORTSOF A STATEWIDE SHORTAGE LASTWEEK.

IT’S A GOD SEND FOR THEIRCURRENT 307 COVID-19PATIENTSBUT WITH THAT NUMBERCHANGING DAILYTHERE’S NOTELLING IF IT’LL BE ENOUGH.Which should be a 14-day supplyunder normal circumstances.

But,depending on how many morepatients are admitted, we’llhave to determine whether thatsupply is going to last us.NCH WAS ALSO ON TODAY’S CALL.THEIR BED CAPACITY IS AT 85PERCENT CAPACITY.In just two weeks, we’ve seen a115 percent increase inhospitalizations.

If this trendcontinues, we will be atcapacity in four weeks.(LLTAG)30 STAFF MEMBERS REJOINED NCHLAST WEEK.

THEY’RE ALSOINTERVIEWING MORE CANDIDATES