President of Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital Gregory Rosencrance, M.D., stresses the hospital’s concerns over the increasing number of Covid-19 patients and how it affects care for critical needs and chronic disease patients.

As of Thursday, August 19, 2021, Cleveland Clinic, Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach has 107 Covid patients, of which 30 are in ICU. According to Dr. Rosencrance, these patients are younger, sicker, and largely unvaccinated.

Staffing is a critical concern as they have had to open additional areas of the hospital to take care of Covid patients as previous units were at compacity.

“Staffing is a critical concern, which you have heard, at this time, and we have had to reduce the scope of care we normally provide to account for the shortage we are facing,” Dr. Rosencrance stated during the press conference.

As of today, they have not had to turn patients away from urgent care, but they are reaching a tipping point. However, they are growing more concerned that if things continue at this pace, they may not be able to care for everyone in need.

“If we continue at this pace, we will see more instances where care for non-covid patients are impacted,” Dr. Rosencrance stated.

The Indian River County Cleveland Clinic President stressed his concern for how this is impacting people with critical needs and chronic diseases.

“It is getting more difficult to care for other patients who have other health care needs, especially those with critical needs and chronic disease. It is becoming difficult to do both,” Dr. Rosencrance stressed.

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