Luminis Health Declares Contingency Protocol At Strained Annapolis, Lanham Hospitals
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Luminis Health on Monday declared Contingency Standards of Care protocols at both of its Maryland hospitals due to a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the last month.
The company's hospitals are in Annapolis and Lanham: Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center and Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.
Contingency protocol is used when a healthcare system reaches critical demand. The company said it saw a 325% increase in admitted patients with COVID-19 since Dec. 1.
Changes can include delaying non-life-threatening surgeries, changing documentation requirements, and adjusting and prioritizing surgical schedules. Starting Jan. 3, all non-urgent surgeries that include an overnight stay will be postponed. the company said.
"Under our Emergency Operations Plan, we made the decision to shift to Contingency Standards of Care after careful consideration and discussion," said Tori Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health. "While we remain committed to providing the best care at our hospitals, it is becoming increasingly challenging. We continue to work with other health systems, government leaders, and community partners to review our standards of care and strategize next steps, which may include declaring crisis-level standards of care."