Influx of COVID-19 Patients Taxing Huntington Hospital Staffing and Resources

According to a Huntington Hospital spokesperson, resources could soon become “scarce” if the number of COVID-19 patients continues to grow. 

As of Monday morning, the hospital was treating 154 coronavirus patients, including 30 patients in the intensive care unit.

Dr. Lori J. Morgan, hospital president and CEO, told the City Council at its last meeting that the hospital only has 30 ICU beds.

“The reality is this: staffing and resources are becoming increasingly pressured – and could soon become scarce – should we continue to see an increasing influx of COVID-19 hospitalizations,” according to a hospital spokesperson. 

“This third and largest patient surge is a direct result of Thanksgiving gatherings and nonessential travel. Our greatest fear is that activity during the coming holidays could push health care and hospitals toward a breaking point.” 

“Nobody wants this to happen, and certainly our caregivers do not want to imagine providing care in a scarce resource context.” 

It was not known if the hospital has increased, or “flexed” its capacity for ICU beds. The hospital is currently using surge tents for noncritical patients who come to the hospital’s emergency room, but do not have life-threatening conditions.

“We are pleading with our community to refrain from gathering with anyone outside of their immediate household and from nonessential travel.” 

“These actions could save lives and will support the availability of hospital beds, staff, and equipment for everyone who needs it.” 

Last week, city Health Director Dr. Ying-Ying Goh said that after the ICU reaches capacity local residents may not receive care in the emergency room.

On Friday, a woman suffered major injuries after she was struck by a car while crossing Colorado Boulevard against a red light, police said.

There were also a number of shootings in Altadena. It was not known if the victims were taken to Huntington Hospital.

A city official told Pasadena Now that Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations prohibit the city from saying what hospital the victims were taken to. Pasadena Now was simply told the victims were taken to a local hospital.  

Huntington Hospital is the largest Level II trauma center in the San Gabriel Valley.

“We are at a critical point in the pandemic as we assess our ICU and overall capacity to provide care when it’s needed most,” the spokesperson said. “We reconfigure and reimagine our facility daily to meet patient needs as outlined in our surge plan. From erecting tents for patients with non-life-threatening conditions to increasing our staffing and procuring additional equipment, we are exhausting all measures to respond to this unprecedented patient increase.”