COVID-19 cases, particularly the delta variant, are increasing significantly in Utah, and this is resulting in high volumes in hospital ICUs across the state. Intermountain is at a point where we must take action to support our teams and patients. Other Utah health systems have initiated postponing elective surgeries. University of Utah Health, HCA and Steward are all reporting they’re at or over 90% capacity. At Intermountain Healthcare, we’ve run out of staffed beds supporting serious patient needs. Of the COVID-19 patients currently in our hospitals, 90% are unvaccinated.
To support caregivers and patients, Intermountain has implemented criteria, effective August 13, to guide hospital and surgery leadership teams when to postpone some surgeries and procedures considered elective, nonurgent, and require postoperative inpatient monitoring. Elective surgeries and procedures are those scheduled in advance and don’t involve a medical emergency.
Individual hospitals will each make the decision to postpone these types of surgeries and procedures, as well as determine the number of surgeries and procedures to postpone, based on these criteria:
- Local staffing capabilities
- Critical care and acute care bed capacity
- Local community spread
On a rolling three-day basis, each hospital will reevaluate and update decisions to postpone some elective surgeries and procedures to reflect and support the hospital’s circumstances. This will continue while we have a high number of cases and high hospital volumes across the system. These criteria involve Cassia Regional Hospital as well.
Why is Intermountain postponing elective, nonurgent surgeries and procedures?
This change is needed to accommodate strained hospital capacities—particularly in our ICUs and acute beds—and support our caregivers. When applicable, we’re notifying surgical services teams and providers, as well as patients, of this decision so they can make plans accordingly.
Intermountain will require pre-procedure COVID testing beginning in the middle of next week.
As an added safety measure, patients who are having elective surgeries or procedures that are still scheduled, will need to have a COVID test before their procedure. Enhancements to make COVID testing at Intermountain more seamless are in process. Until the new changes are announced and implemented, the process remains the same:
- Intermountain pre-procedure caregivers should order the COVID test and contact patients with specific instructions and locations where they can be tested.
- Patients will receive a QR code and upon arrival to the selected pick-up/drop-off location, they will provide their saliva sample.
- Results are generally back within 24 to 48 hours.
We will continue to support our caregivers working in areas where surgeries are postponed.
Caregivers potentially impacted by postponed surgeries will be redeployed to other operating rooms within their hospital. When that’s not possible, caregivers will be floated to surgical departments in other hospitals in their geography. As needed, caregivers will also be redeployed to other units in their hospital. If caregivers are unable to be redeployed, COVID pay is available. Please note, COVID pay is not available if caregivers turn down a redeployment opportunity. Caregivers who may be impacted by redeployment should contact their local OR manager or geographic surgery director with questions.
COVID pay was discontinued on June 30 and now has been reinstated.
COVID pay is available to caregivers who can’t be redeployed after all available options have been used or who are sick with COVID-19 or caring for a family member with COVID-19. COVID pay is based on manager approval. It includes compensation of up to four weeks, paid out based on a caregiver’s budgeted hours. If a caregiver previously used COVID pay, availability will be based on the remaining balance. The Leave of Absence team will work with caregivers who may have used their balance already. To request COVID pay, submit a COVID-19 Leave of Absence and COVID Pay Request form to Ask HR.
“After discussion with the Executive Leadership Team and careful evaluation of COVID cases and needs, we knew COVID pay was a resource that needed to come back at this time to support caregivers,” says Heather Brace, senior vice president and chief people officer.
If you have an HR-related question about COVID pay, benefits, leave time, exposures, etc., please contact Ask HR: 801-442-7547 or askhr@imail.org. Our Employee Health triage team continues to offer priority triaging and testing for COVID-19 for all caregivers. This means if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, an Employee Health nurse will triage your exposure and arrange for testing. When Employee Health orders a test, caregivers receive an email with testing site locations and hours.
To contact Employee Health:
- Caregivers: call Ask HR, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 801-442-7547.
- Physician and APPs: call the dedicated provider line, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 801-442-6765.
- If you call on the weekend, please leave a voicemail. Messages are returned between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- If you’re experiencing symptoms, please stay home—don’t come to work.
“Thank you for your dedication and the care you’re providing to our many patients during this challenging time,” Heather says. “You’ve been working tirelessly through the pandemic for so long, we all hoped we wouldn’t see COVID counts increase. We’re working to increase staffing to help relieve you, and we’re increasing efforts in our communities to support vaccination, masking, and social distancing. Thank you for your dedication and commitment for everything you do to fight COVID.”
If you have any additional questions about this announcement, please review the FAQs.
You’re encouraged to take care of yourself, your families, and each other. Check in on your well-being, and the well-being of others, often. You can find resources to care for yourself and family here. Intermountain’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available for appointments and CARE sessions, and you can call the Behavioral Health Navigation Line to learn about other resources at 833-442-2211.