The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge healthcare providers globally and nationally, including Cleveland Clinic, The MetroHealth System and University Hospitals, resulting in yet another surge in the number of COVID-19 patients. As we continue to navigate the pandemic and adjust to the changing healthcare needs of patients, their health systems are seeing unprecedented demand for inpatient care across their facilities. This has led to their hospitals reaching nearly full capacity at many locations. Their organizations are experiencing a significant increase in unvaccinated patients being hospitalized because of COVID-19.
More than 90% of patients with COVID-19 in the ICU are non-vaccinated. This means that vaccination is protecting people from severe illness. The majority of vaccinated patients who are hospitalized have underlying health conditions.
- University Hospitals is experiencing record high census of hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients.
- Cleveland Clinic hospitals are experiencing a significant increase in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19.
- The MetroHealth System is experiencing an increase in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Cleveland Clinic will temporarily halt the scheduling of additional non-urgent inpatient surgeries requiring a hospital bed in our Ohio locations, with the exception of Euclid and Lutheran Hospitals, beginning Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, through Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. Essential and urgent surgeries, as well as heart, cancer, pediatric and transplantation surgeries, and outpatient surgeries not requiring a hospital bed will continue to be scheduled during this time period. We will continue to evaluate our scheduled surgical patients as the pandemic continues.
The MetroHealth System In response to high demand for inpatient care – involving both COVID and non-COVID cases – we have begun postponing some elective surgeries to free up space in our hospitals. We are also exercising other options, such as encouraging more use of our Hospital in the Home program, to meet the latest patient surge.
University Hospitals is currently rescheduling certain non-urgent surgeries at UH Cleveland Medical Center that require an inpatient stay for a short duration of time. At this time, UH Cleveland Medical Center continues to perform urgent surgeries and outpatient surgeries and procedures that do not involve an overnight stay. University Hospitals continues to perform all types of surgeries and procedures at its community hospitals, although the situation is fluid and subject to change.
