JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — A Ballad Health spokesperson confirmed Tuesday the hospital group will postpone all elective surgeries starting Thursday, August 26 due to the continued surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. The move comes less than two weeks after a halt to all elective surgeries that require an overnight stay.
Ballad reported 283 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 Tuesday, including six kids. That’s just 78 hospitalizations away from the all-time record of 361 in the winter. Ballad expects to reach 400 COVID-19 patients within two weeks.
The move is aimed at preserving space and staff for the continued surge in COVID-19 patients. It will impact surgeries that were already scheduled.
Twenty National Guard troops were deployed to Johnson City Medical Center over the weekend to help care for COVID-19 ICU patients. Across the country, many nurses quit after the winter COVID-19 surge, worsening a national shortage that started before the pandemic. Ballad is also impacted by that.
Several retired nurses have agreed to help, but Ballad is asking for more. They are also making plans to utilize medical students and people licensed in other states to help through an emergency order issued by Gov. Bill Lee.