New Mexico hospitals are under strain as COVID-19 cases rise

Presbyterian Chief Medical Officer Dr Jason Mitchell says hospitals are operating under emergency plans. He is among those pleading with people to stay at home to curb the spread of the virus.

Presbyterian officials say their statewide system is treating 189 COVID-positive patients, including 39 in the intensive care unit.

Lovelace officials say 32% of the medical center’s beds are used to care for COVID-positive patients.

The UNM hospital has not provided a number of patients, but a spokesperson said the hospital has a higher volume of COVID patients than ever during the pandemic.

Hospitals in New Mexico are preparing to treat even more COVID-positive patients in the near future.

“We are currently researching these alternative ways to reduce the demand for hospital services,” said Dr. David Pitcher, physical director of the UNM Health System. “This includes reviewing and postponing truly elective elective surgical procedures.

Hospitals are not planning to cut services for patients who really need them, such as those with cancer.

“We have already started canceling elective surgeries that require overnight stays,” Mitchell said. “We know we need hospital staff and beds. Those that can be postponed without bad results for an individual for six weeks or more are things we will do later.”

The Presbyterian always encourages people to seek treatment so that the existing conditions do not worsen.

“We also use video tours in our clinics and have as much contact with primary care and their patients as possible,” said Dr Vesta Sandoval, who works at Lovelace Medical Center.

All senior health officials stress that the future of capacity and care depends on the community.

“It’s really easy to come home and be home and feel like everything is fine because everything is fine there,” Mitchell said. “But ill tell you, it’s not OK in the state right now.” We, as a community, must make dramatic changes to curb the spread of COVID.