Houston
Sponsored by

Hospital Utilization in Harris County

3,147 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by TxAg05
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I've been with a family member twice to the hospital this week for testing unrelated to coronavirus. I've never seen them so empty. How many regular procedures and activities are being deferred? If parking lots, labs, and scans are any indication, they are operating at 5-10% of normal in some areas.

Are we flattening the curve or pushing regular procedures into whenever the spike is coming?

And I guess it stands to reason that whatever people where hoping to determine from the scans and labs not being done will remain untreated for the foreseeable future.

There has to be a smarter way.
Al Bula
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Gap said:

There has to be a smarter way.
Fixed it for you.

Zemira
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
All elective procedure and surgeries have been cancelled.
drumboy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Zemira said:

All elective procedure and surgeries have been cancelled.

Is there any timeline for this? My daughter has something scheduled for early June so she would be out of school but I would love to have it done now since who knows if school will resume.
The Wonderer
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
1) all elective procedures and surgeries requiring PPE have been restricted until further notice.
2) people are not going to the ER unless it is an actual emergency because they are afraid of getting COVID 19 (like it should be...)


Expect it to be like this for the next 4-6 weeks minimum
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Labs and scans regarding potential other illnesses are now considered elective? Or are people just not going to the doctor with other concerns (whose lack of treatment will then become an unintended consequence).

Should we send a percentage of the personnel that used to have a busy day home on vacation awaiting the spike in Harris County? All we have done for now is give them a day without much to do.
BMX Bandit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
there has been an enormous increase in telemedicine over the past 2 weeks. many people that would normally be at the doctor's office are doing Zoom with the docs
The Wonderer
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Gap said:

Labs and scans regarding potential other illnesses are now considered elective? Or are people just not going to the doctor with other concerns (whose lack of treatment will then become an unintended consequence).

Should we send a percentage of the personnel that used to have a busy day home on vacation awaiting the spike in Harris County? All we have done for now is give them a day without much to do.
Many people that get "routine" labs and scans are generally elderly or immuno-compromised, so if the lab or scan isn't urgently necessary, then most physicians won't risk those pools being in public right now. If the procedure is necessary, then it will be done in most cases. The restriction was put into place until PPE could be redirected to EDs that are handling potential virus exposure intake. As PPE reenters the supply chain, the restrictions will ease up and more electives allowed.
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
BMX Bandit said:

there has been an enormous increase in telemedicine over the past 2 weeks. many people that would normally be at the doctor's office are doing Zoom with the docs
How are they doing the labs and scans I mention on Zoom?
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
So, there is an enormous amount of medically unnecessary waste in the system? Perhaps addressing that will be a good that comes out of this.

And what to do with the excess resources sitting around looking at their phone awaiting the spike? Send them home for a few days?
Mikeyshooter
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Texas Children's is the same way. They told us that anything that isn't urgent or life threatening has been postponed. They were sending nurses home last week because they didn't have enough kids to treat.

My daughter's surgical team has been split in two. Each being in the hospital 7 days at a time so if any of them get exposed to CV the entire team doesn't have to be quarantined. Pretty surreal.

So all of that said, seems almost impossible that hospitals can be overrun in Houston right now.
The Wonderer
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Gap said:

So, there is an enormous amount of medically unnecessary waste in the system? Perhaps addressing that will be a good that comes out of this.

And what to do with the excess resources sitting around looking at their phone awaiting the spike? Send them home for a few days?
There is urgent/life-threatening and then there is routine/monitoring. Both can be medically necessary.
Diggity
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Passive aggressive trolling is my favorite.
Ag_07
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I don't know what you want us to say.

Resources are being dialed back by postponing routine and elective procedures and being reallocated to help the in strain due to the virus.
Zemira
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
BMX Bandit said:

there has been an enormous increase in telemedicine over the past 2 weeks. many people that would normally be at the doctor's office are doing Zoom with the docs
Yeah I had a video appointment today on VSee. I didn't have anything complicated and was for my mental health but it was good to see my doctor.

I lucked out in that when this whole mess started I saw my rheumatologist and got my normal every 3 month blood work done. I have lupus, so I'm likey in that immuno compromised category. So I have a baseline for labs if I have a flare or get sick. I have my usual follow-up scheduled for late April. They haven't cancelled it yet, but I likely won't keep the appointment unless something happens and my lupus flares. My PCP has cancelled appointments 3 times now as she tries to rearrange her patients and only see the ones with sick symptoms, respiratory and otherwise separate from everyone else. It's a huge mess.
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Ag_07 said:

I don't know what you want us to say.

Resources are being dialed back by postponing routine and elective procedures and being reallocated to help the in strain due to the virus.
Resources aren't being dialed back. The resources are there, but are sitting idle - unlike any day previous to this. The hospital I was at is likely the emptiest it has ever been.

At what point have the actions become negative? There has to be such a point. Are we still flattening the curve or just deferring it to the future?
canadianAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Mikeyshooter
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
canadianAg said:

We kept hearing about elective surgeries being cancelled but we've been surprised that our 3 month old is still scheduled to have heart surgery to repair a vsd next week. It is technically considered elective as far as I know but they decided to keep him on the schedule.

The surgeon said it's pretty calm so far in the hospital though but we are concerned about both of us being allowed to see him.

Which hospital?

My kid is currently at TCH and my wife is currently the only one allowed to see her. She can come home and hang out with me and the other kids but I am not allowed. It's moronic.
canadianAg
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
P.H. Dexippus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
My wife was supposed to be induced this coming Wednesday at week 39 because kid is running 2 weeks ahead of development. He was est. 8.2lbs at week 36. Now being told no inducement unless he goes 40 weeks + 4 days. Seems like this increases the risk of c section. Wife is not pleased.
Jack Cheese
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Gap said:

So, there is an enormous amount of medically unnecessary waste in the system? Perhaps addressing that will be a good that comes out of this.

And what to do with the excess resources sitting around looking at their phone awaiting the spike? Send them home for a few days?

People jumped on you for this question, but isn't it widely recognized that doctors order way too many diagnostic tests than are needed? For "defensive medicine" reasons, and because incentives are skewed?

Two things can be true - that capacity is being cleared for COVID, and overall there is excess capacity built into the system.
TxAg05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
That case is elective, but it probably falls under the urgent elective category where waiting could potentially be detrimental to the patient. As numbers move to a the supposed peak next week, I could see this being postponed.

The idea of limiting the number of visitors in the hospitals is to try to reduce in hospital spread. If your whole family comes to visit, that is more people in the cafeteria and walking the halls who could potentially spread to healthcare workers. They aren't necessarily trying to limit the spread among your family.

Everyone is now required to wear a standard surgical mask when they enter the door of the hospital.
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Mr. AGSPRT04 said:

My wife was supposed to be induced this coming Wednesday at week 39 because kid is running 2 weeks ahead of development. He was est. 8.2lbs at week 36. Now being told no inducement unless he goes 40 weeks + 4 days. Seems like this increases the risk of c section. Wife is not pleased.
That is crazy. The hospital is comparatively empty now. It just makes no sense to move a birth from now when there is no outbreak in Harris County and hospitals are at low capacity out a week further to when the hospital may be overloaded and over-capacity.

The edicts and government orders now are based on zero common sense.

I hope all goes well in the coming days!
Gap
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Jack Cheese said:

Gap said:

So, there is an enormous amount of medically unnecessary waste in the system? Perhaps addressing that will be a good that comes out of this.

And what to do with the excess resources sitting around looking at their phone awaiting the spike? Send them home for a few days?

People jumped on you for this question, but isn't it widely recognized that doctors order way too many diagnostic tests than are needed? For "defensive medicine" reasons, and because incentives are skewed?

Two things can be true - that capacity is being cleared for COVID, and overall there is excess capacity built into the system.
Agreed. Hopefully something good can come from the learnings we have during this time. If something is broken and taking resources from better uses, our society is better after making that change. Moving some of Medicine back to the hands of doctors and out of the hands of the lawyers would be a good thing.
TxAg05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
It's hard to say why the birth is being moved. OB is the one thing that hasn't changed at most hopsitals. Sections and deliveries are happening at the normal rate. Measuring ahead of dates isn't a true indication for being induced. Maybe the exam wasn't favorable and inducing at 39 weeks was likely to fail and result in a C section. Lots of other variables potentially at play here.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.