Leaders from University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine, shared the dire situation the hospital organization is facing due to the recent wave of COVID-19 cases, which has strained the system and affected patient care.

On Monday, University of Michigan Health had 112 total COVID-19 admissions of adults and children.

These increases have forced U-M Health to reduce its surgical volume by 20%, which is far more than an inconvenience, says David Miller, M.D., M.P.H., president of U-M Health.

“We just don’t have the beds,” Miller said. “This week alone we’ve canceled more than 40 cases.”

Additionally, emergency services are experiencing heavy crowding and overflow, consistent with emergency departments across Michigan. The surge, however, is NOT a reason to skip going to the emergency department if a patient needs emergency care, Miller says.

“We are asking everyone to carefully consider the need for care in the emergency department, so we can ensure access for very sick patients in need of immediate care,” he said. “Patients who are having an emergency – who believe their life, limb or body function is at serious risk – we are here to take care of you.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek immediate emergency care:
• Trouble breathing
• Difficulty speaking or sudden vision changes
• Persistent chest pain or pressure
• Weakness in the arm, leg or face
• Serious bleeding or deformed and/or discolored limbs after injury

As of Dec. 8, the hospital had 87 COVID-19 hospitalizations, with the majority of patients unvaccinated. Six of 22 ICU patients with COVID-19 were vaccinated and all nine patients on ventilators were unvaccinated.

“Vaccination will help to prevent you from coming to our hospital or [ending up] in the ICUs, which are extremely crowded at this time,” said John Carethers, M.D., chair of the department of internal medicine at U-M Health.

U-M Health care team members are exhausted after 20 months of unrelenting fighting in this pandemic, says Nancy May, DNP, RN-BC, chief nurse executive at U-M Health. “Nurses and other care team members feel frustrated when we know that vaccines are available, yet many have selected not to get vaccinated. These patients often end up in our ICUs and on ventilators.”

Click on the link to read the entire article (in English): U-M Health leaders: COVID-19 surge keeping us from delivering lifesaving care, people dying at home | University of Michigan (uofmhealth.org)