State extend wait times for Class D, Class E elective surgeries
Nebraska is making some policy changes to help hospitals in the state address their staffing needs.
Governor Pete Ricketts issued Executive Order No. 21-12, declaring a hospital emergency in the state. The order also allows people who are properly and lawfully licensed to engage in practice of several hospital services.
These services include nursing, emergency medical services, medicine and surgery, mental health practice, osteopathy, perfusion, pharmacy, psychology, respiratory care and surgical assisting.
The EO also authorizes the credentialing of retired or inactive healthcare professionals and defers certain continuing education requirements.
EO 21-12 is effective immediately and will remain in effect through the end of 2021.
Staffing has long been a problem at the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this even more, according to a previous report.
Surgeries
Nebraska has also issued a Directed Health Measure (DHM) which suspends inpatient Class D and Class E elective surgeries for all Acute Care, Critical Care, and Children’s Hospitals.
These are elective surgeries that can wait four weeks or longer without substantially changing a patient’s outcome.
While some hospitals have already taken this step, the DHM extends it as a requirement for all hospitals in Nebraska.
The DHM takes effect on August 30, 2021 and will remain in force through Sept. 30, 2021, unless renewed.
Also, one expert previously said that physicians are experiencing a lot of mental health troubles amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
