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Kootenai Health edges closer to normal

by BILL BULEY
Staff Writer | December 22, 2021 1:06 AM

The end of crisis standards of care in the Panhandle Health District will allow Kootenai Health to schedule surgical cases and other procedures previously put on hold to maximize space and staffing to care for the surge of COVID-19 patients.

"We sincerely thank all patients who have been waiting to receive care during the COVID-19 surge for their understanding," said a statement from Kootenai Health.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare deactivated crisis standards of care in the PHD on Monday. They had been in effect since Sept. 7.

Kootenai Health reported it had 38 COVID-19 inpatients on Tuesday, with 17 in critical care. That's down from 150 patients in early October.

PHD reported 106 new cases Tuesday, while its backlog of cases is down to 168. It had been more than 1,000.

"While the number of COVID-19 patients remains high and continues to stress healthcare systems, the surge is currently no longer exceeding the healthcare resources available," according to a press release from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

DHW Director Dave Jeppesen said the end of crisis standards is good news, but they are still watching the omicron variant "very closely because this is a precarious time."

Omicron seems to spread more easily, but causes less severe symptoms, say health officials.

The state of Idaho announced the end of crisis standards of care throughout the state, with the exception of the five northern counties, on Nov. 26.

It said the PHD was to remain in crisis standards of care "due to the continued high incidence of COVID-19 and related high number of hospitalizations."

Since then, Kootenai Health has been monitoring COVID-19 patient volumes and the percent of positive cases seen among those being tested for COVID-19 throughout the community.

On Friday, Kootenai Health made a recommendation to the Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare for the PHD to move from crisis standards of care to contingency standards of care.

"This recommendation was based on a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations along with a decline in the percent positivity in the region," the statement said.

Crisis standards of care provides guidelines for hospitals and other care providers when they struggle to have resources and staff to keep up with the number of patients, which rose dramatically with COVID-19.

The battle is not over, as healthcare systems statewide are generally using contingency operations.

"This means they remain stressed with an unusually high number of patients," the state release said. "It will be some time before healthcare systems return to full normal operations."

Jeppesen encouraged people to get vaccinated and get booster shots.

Nearly 70,000 Kootenai County residents are fully vaccinated.