An aggravated injury led me to the ER this weekend – a rare event. It was also an opportunity to observe and ask about conditions at UCHealth’s Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR). This modern 187-bed regional medical center has been serving Northern Colorado since 2007. I learned from the reception desk nurse that the hospital was full and that approximately 50% were Covid related cases. It took a while to see the doctor, which was fine – it’s never good to have high priority in the ER! They ultimately did a great job and soon I was on my way home.
MCR's situation sheds light on the challenges facing hospitals during sustained periods of high demand. These are distinct from mass casualty events in their impacts on staff and infrastructure. Hospitals have plans to temporarily surge staff in response to unplanned emergencies, but this strategy is unsustainable over extended periods. The stress on front-line workers undermines performance, and leads to employee burnout, as has occurred during the Covid crisis. Thankfully, innovative remote monitoring technologies are helping hospitals cope with these challenges.
We research, test, and evaluate innovative solutions including those that enable hospitals to sustainably stretch their capacity over extended periods while protecting their staff. I’ve leveraged BioBeat’s advanced remote patient monitoring system to illustrate how continuous monitoring and triage can help channel limited resources where they are needed most. I've also discussed how even distant hospitals can collaborate and assist each other during critical periods. These capabilities are revolutionary and game-changers for communities and providers facing recurring periods of high demand for healthcare services.
Please contact me if you work for a healthcare facility and want to find out more. We share insights and lessons learned with healthcare providers and professionals regardless of the technologies that they currently use. You can message me through LinkedIn or directly at ozzie@oprhealth.com.