St. Charles, Oregon hospitals see worrisome rise in COVID-19 patients, face challenges

(Update: Adding video, other details)

SALEM, Ore. (AP/KTVZ) — Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon health officials warned Tuesday of the capacity challenges facing hospitals as COVID-19 case counts continue to spike in the state and urged residents weary of restrictions and health guidelines to redouble their efforts.

As of Tuesday, the Oregon Health Authority recorded a record 285 confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals — a 57% increase in just the past week and an 83% increase from four weeks ago, well above any figures seen earlier in the pandemic.

Health officials said that if hospitals do reach capacity, facilities could postpone elective procedures, use hospital beds or wings that are currently unused, add staffing to their inpatient units or send patients to other hospitals, both in the state and in other states where there is availability.

The typical 2-week delay from becoming infected to needing hospital care has hospital officials doubly worried, as flu season also approaches.

“Our fears that COVID-19 spread would rise when the weather cools and we all go indoors are certainly becoming a frightening reality,” Brown said.

“Oregon is heading on the wrong road,” she said. “While we have plans in place to share beds and ventilators, if necessary, that needs to be a last resort.”

Asked by NewsChannel 21's Blake Allen whether Deschutes County could join nine others going into a "two-week pause" for social gatherings, Brown said, "All counties are at risk for additional changes and for further closures. And honestly, each one of us can make a difference, and the citizens in Deschutes County can do their part and help slow the spread."

Oregon Health Authority's chief medical officer, Dr. Dana Hargunani, spoke of current hospital capacity pointing out that Oregon has 285 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, a 57 percent increase in the past week.

Hargunani said Oregon hospitals have 146 ICU beds currently available as cases rise, and 701 non-ICU beds available.

"The trend is clear and very concerning," she said.

Dr. Jeff Absalon, chief physician executive of St. Charles Health System, was among several hospital officials around the state who spoke during the governor's news conference. He also was part of a subsequent briefing arranged by St. Charles for reporters in Bend.

Absalon said the hospital has seen a doubling in COVID-19 patients in the past week, reporting 15 as of Tuesday, two in the ICU, one on a ventilator The recent peak of 19 patients equaled the record set in July.

St. Charles has a total of 30 ICU beds, also needed for patients suffering a medical emergency.

“We’re very concerned about what’s happening today and what we may see in the next few weeks, and ask for your help,” he said, urging everyone to strictly limit holiday or social gatherings to just the immediate family and finding new ways to hold traditional events, or find new traditions.

So far, he said, there is still capacity both in the ICU and elsewhere at area hospitals.

“We do have a good amount of supplies, in terms of extra beds and ventilators, but staffing is really an issue,” Absalon said. "We've got a basement full of extra hospital beds," as well as other equipment and a supply of ventilators.

"We do have plans in place to pull those levers, if necessary," he said.

But if the numbers keep rising, the hospitals may again have to reduce or cancel elective surgeries that require a hospital bed afterward.

The “surge plan” that St. Charles Health System hasn’t had to deploy begins with lower-level impacts, but Absalon did note that if things get bad enough, “We can put beds in waiting rooms. We can put beds in conference rooms. Staffing is going to be a challenge. No one wants to go there.”

All Central Oregon COVID-19 patients are at the Bend facility, where there have been visitor restrictions and screening in place for months.

Although there were some preliminary conversations with Boise hospitals, in case patients needed to be moved, Absalon said, “I’m not aware we’ve had any patients brought in from outside (the region) for COVID-19 treatment or because other areas are overwhelmed.”

“We’ll just have to see what the upcoming days and weeks hold,” he said.

"We've learned a lot in this pandemic," Absalon said. One is that many people delayed care earlier in the year, amid concern about hospital capacity, worried about getting sick or overwhelming the system. But he urged Tuesday, "Please do not delay care. We have worked hard to make sure our environments are safe.'