University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center Activates Crisis Standards of Care Protocols
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- The University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center announced on Monday that they are implementing Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) protocols in response to the Omicron surge.
The news comes as the university grapples with high patient admittance, depleting resources and staff shortages.
On Monday, Maryland's COVID-19 hospitalizations set a new record as they topped 2,700 patients admitted.
University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center is one of many hospitals to move to CSC protocols in hopes that they will be able to care for their increasing number of patients as safely as possible.
"We have monitored this increasingly alarming situation and know that the critical response of CSC is necessary," Senior Vice President Medical Affairs Gail Cunningham said. "The current healthcare demand is far outpacing our available resources. These standards provide a framework allowing our healthcare professionals flexibility to care for patients with the highest need. [They] are based on best practices and guided by ethical principles."
Under the CSC protocols, the medical center will:
- Streamline their process
- Modify their surgical schedules to be in line Gov. Larry Hogan's recent orders
- Simplify their documentation process
- Redeploy their staff
"Our priority is patient care, and we are taking the necessary steps to ensure our continued ability to treat all patients while supporting our workforce as they deal with extraordinary pressures," UMMS COVID-19 Incident Commander and Professor of Medicine David Marcozzi said. "This crisis designation allows the communities we serve to transparently understand the challenge we are facing so all of us can work to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and more of us can stay healthy."
