New Hampshire hospitals nearing 100% capacity as respiratory diseases spread

Photo: Dean Mitchell/Getty Images

Respiratory illnesses such as the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are on the rise once again, and as hospitals and health systems grapple with how to handle the surge, one state is seeing its provider workforce buckle: Hospitals in the state are nearing 100% capacity, according to the New Hampshire Hospital Association.

Added to an already high level of demand, workforce shortages and a continued inability to discharge patients due to constraints being experienced in long-term care and home care, hospitals are busy and beds are full, the group said.

As a result, patients across the state may see some changes the next time they visit a hospital or healthcare facility. Some hospitals have begun to implement changes to their infection prevention measures such as asking patients and visitors to wear a mask when in certain patient-care areas.

"The decision to change the use of masks in healthcare settings is driven by data and guidance from healthcare experts," said NHHA president Steve Ahnen. "That data and expert guidance ensures hospitals and healthcare facilities are safe places for patients to receive both routine and emergency care."

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

NHHA and its members are encouraging people to remain vigilant about basic healthcare and hygiene, such as regular handwashing. Recommendations include making sure annual physicals have been scheduled and vaccines and immunizations are current, including vaccinations for the flu, RSV and COVID-19.

CDC recommendations and best practices should be followed, such as staying home when not feeling well, testing for symptoms, seeking therapeutics if testing positive and wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces to help prevent the spread of infection, the group said.

Evidence-based public health measures such as masking, testing, vaccines and other mitigation methods are still important tools in the fight against COVID-19 and other illnesses, NHHA said.

"There is no one solution that can completely eliminate the risk of spreading infections, but when layered together, these interventions can have a significant impact on the rate of infections, hospitalizations and deaths in New Hampshire," the group wrote.

"Working together, utilizing the tools, resources and information we have gathered over the past several years, we can and will get through this," said Ahnen.

THE LARGER TREND

Currently, the fastest-spreading COVID-19 variant in the U.S. is JN.1, representing about 21% of new cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The variant is closely related to the prior variant BA.2.86. It has just one additional change in its spike protein. This small change, the L455S mutation, may make it more apt to evade immune system responses, the CDC said.

JN.1 was first detected in the U.S. in September, and for the first month or so only accounted for 0.1% of coronavirus transmissions. The fact that it has continued to grow, and the rate at which it's growing, suggests that it's either more transmissible or is better at working around people's immune systems. Still, the CDC didn't find evidence that the variant presents an increased risk to public health compared to other current variants.

In Fresno County, California, a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses, including RSV, COVID-19 and the flu, has caused severe working conditions for hospitals there. As of last month, hospitals were operating at between 20% and 40% capacity.

Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.