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Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday said he was directing hospitals across the state “to postpone or reschedule non-emergent procedures done in the in-patient hospital setting” from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3 to ensure they are not overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Non-emergent procedures are generally considered elective or non-emergency procedures.
Holcomb said pandemic metrics continue to rise and the state needs to take steps to ensure intensive care units are still available for patients.
Every county in the state is seeing a high number of cases per 100,000 residents right now and considered to be in the red category on the statewide map, which indicates the highest level of infection.
“The state of Indiana is on fire,” Holcomb said.
The directive should “clear some beds and give some relief to our hospital networks,” he said.
“Our nurses and our doctors… are overwhelmed and beyond exhausted,” Holcomb said. “They are trying to recharge their batteries maybe one day a week.”
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 slipped slightly, from 3,250 on Monday to 3,244 on Tuesday. They hit an all-time high of 3,460 on Nov. 30.
Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said hospitals have had to redirect patients to other facilities because of a lack of space or staff available.
“This surge is far from over,” Box said.
Holcomb also announced on Wednesday that his executive order that lists restrictions based on the rate of infection in a county will be extended through Jan. 3.
Each county is assigned a color weekly that is based on its seven-day positivity rate and number of infected individuals per 100,000. As of Wednesday, 36 counties were in the red category—twice as many as last week—and all other counties were orange, which is considered the second highest level of infection. Marion County is currently orange.
When Holcomb announced the color-coded county approach last month, only nine counties were red. The state’s color-coded map can be found here.
Social gatherings will continue to be limited to 25 people in red counties, 50 people in orange counties, 100 people in yellow counties and 250 people in blue counties under the new executive order, Holcomb said.
But unlike the current restrictions, which run through Saturday, local health departments will no longer be allowed to grant exceptions to the gathering limits.
K-12 extracurricular activities are allowed to continue, but attendance is limited to participants, support personnel, and parents and guardians and their minor children in red counties. In orange, yellow or blue counties, capacity is limited 25 %.
College and professional sports are allowed to continue as well, with participants, personnel and family members in attendance. Local health departments are allowed to approve plans for up to 25% capacity at these events.
Box said sporting events are allowed to potentially have more people gathered than what the social gathering limits call for because people are more likely to be spread out and wearing a mask, unlike how they would be at a wedding or funeral, for example.
But the social gathering limitations do not apply to businesses such as restaurants and bars.
Holcomb said it’s a balancing act trying to decide what to restrict.
“We are picking and choosing,” Holcomb said. “We’re trying to do that intelligently.”
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Probably won’t sit well for those having procedures by the end of the year due to deductibles being met.
Not arguing the discussion, just predicting one of the many arguments.
Totally agree
Yes – exactly! My wife was scheduled for a dual-procedure with two doctors on the 17th. Now we’ll have to pay thousands for it when “allowed” to happen. And WTH – cancelling procedures in the out-patient Surgery Center doesn’t free up beds or hospital staff in the ICU?!
It’s great to see the citizens of our great Nation realize they hypocrisy and fallacy of these plans…
…and yes I work in healthcare every day. The Governor (and all politicians) should allow each facility make their own decisions on surgery.
Surgeons should make the plan…not lobbyists, unions, and politicians with agendas!
Wish we all had jobs where we are paid to sit at home…healthcare workers (small business owners, restaurant owners, service industry owners) working each day are essential.
Every job = essential.
Except politicians.
JCB, where do you work in healthcare? I want to make sure none of my family goes there.
As Buzz Lightyear says: “e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e…”
Wesley: as usual, you want to Monday morning quarterback with zero evidence a state you don’t live in. Let’s just keep your California rhetoric out West. Appreciated.
Let the healthcare facility make the decision. I had a procedure this morning. Was not in a traditional hospital since it was outpatient. It was not an emergency, but I will be in less pain tomorrow.
well costing people more money
The article clearly says “to postpone or reschedule non-emergent procedures done in the in-patient hospital setting”. Presumably this doesn’t mean outpatient surgery centers. And “non-emergency” isn’t hard to define. Anything that isn’t life threatening is a non-emergency.
And who is he to determine what is an emergency surgery ? In eyes of beholder as they say…Gov needs to stay out of Medical and hospital business..Stick with trying to govern Indiana !
The key here is in-patient hospital stays. The vast majority of procedures and surgeries are out patient.
And non-emergency. If you need a cardiac procedure or soomething to save your life, your doc isn’t going to defer to Holcomb and send you home.
You going to pay for their out of pocket? Plenty of people schedule elective, life improving procedures for year end in an effort to maximize insurance benefits. Big difference being capped out on out of pocket on dec 30 and potentially having to pay 10k+ on Jan 1. Not to mention the medical personnel who won’t be needed. The government needs to stay out of the medical business.
Perhaps the state could issue and enforce policies to stop the pandemic, rather than letting it get to this point.
What a novel idea (yes that was sarcastic) Also, I am a health care worker.
Non-emergent procedures generally don’t end up in the ICU. This is for optics. It will damage hospital finances.
Not as bad as it will ours!
Agreed. This is safety theater. The cost being born by the average taxpayer and hospital..
Bariatric surgery patient do and have ended up in the ICU.
No they don’t, but you suggest we ignore them until they become critical care patients? You’re slurping up that Trump drink perfectly. Must have a lot of Bill Cosby juice in it.
At the beginning of this year, my double-knee replacement surgery was deemed non-essential by this ass and was delayed almost five months. He has no clue and this is indeed for optics, as if anything he has done this year has helped the pandemic situation in Indiana. He’s completely lost and only follows others–not even close to being a true leader. I voted for him the first time, not the last time. Complete zero. He and Hogsbreath are embarrassing themselves and in the process badly hurting the residents of Indiana. Sad…
Boss Hogsett doesn’t believe the ability to walk is essential. I know and support your essential need for bilateral TKA surgery!
So you think your knee pain is worse than people’s actual lives? That’s very embarrassing for you, personally.
Keep fear mongering Wes. We at the hospitals can make medical decisions on a per facility basis. Don’t need politicians to offer up their opinions.
I guess instead of being critical of our Governor, I should take the approach of Lou Holtz ( retired coach from Notre Dame) who could not say enough great things about our President Trump when he received his Metal of Freedom last week.
So here goes with thoughts from a parallel universe which we should all embrace (Orange Kool Aid has been my go-to drink for several years, now even though it has been gradually having a bitter aftertaste:
Why should we worry? We are in great hands with a State government and public health team which is on top of the situation and has a plan that is working great. Personally, I am will to sacrifice as many Hoosiers as possible so I can go anywhere I want and at time that I want. I look forward to a packed church with shoulder to shoulder attendance and just singing up a storm. I am going to hit as many crowed bars as I can until the wee hours of the morning. Masks!!! Are you kidding? Masks are for losers!! Let the good times roar. You can’t make me do anything. I just love this country!!!
Now, I feel a whole better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ON THE OTHER HAND, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS:
1. So the plan for Indiana is to make sure that healthcare workers get the vaccine so they can remain well enough to take care of the onslaught of new patients. Oh, I forgot, the State is running out of ICU beds (only about 20% left). I guess that we should just tell the new sick Covid-19 patients. “first come, first serve,” or “if you snooze, you lose.” I doubt if the Convention Center or the Colts want to give up any space for temporary hospital facilities. Of course, why should we plan ahead when the current plan is working so well? Putting a hold on elective surgeries to free up staff and beds is another lame plan which will just to put the economic health of our hospital systems MORE in the RED. How is that helping the economy of the State??? Why has his administration NOT spent the rest of Cares Act funds to use to address the pandemic needs of our State NOW????
2. Remember back in the spring when there was a shutdown ordered by the governor. He assured us that he would follow the numbers and the science on opening things up with his 5 stage plan. It appears that he has kept one of his promises. He is following the numbers but not the science. By all of the numbers (daily positive cases, hospital census, hospital admissions, deaths, positivity, etc., etc.) we are substantially in worse shape, but no hint of a serious change of course. What does the “State of Emergency” really mean? What does the “mask mandate” really? In very simple terms, NOTHING without some serious plan of enforcement!! So we are on our own!!!!!!!!!!!!
Phil = Charlie Brown’s Teacher voice.
“Metal of Freedom” did you mean “Medal of Freedom”? I guess you don’t know everything after all.
Thankfully Holcomb has left us or more less on our own ever since the ridiculous lockdowns.
“A serious plan?” “A serious plan of enforcement?” It gives me shivers when I hear these sorts of remarks. Where have we been for the last 70 years? What serious plan? We have done lockdowns (no not as serious as some places in Europe) and most people still wear masks in public places. These efforts are mostly wasted effort. The only one relatively large country in the western world has got a handle on COVID. Yes, Sweden is the one. Yes they are the one that got criticized for not getting “serious.” They didn’t do lockdowns and masking was primarily left to individuals with many not doing it. They have just about achieved “herd immunity” the very thing the critics said couldn’t be done. The other countries of Europe went to pretty far extremes and in some cases they seemed to have turned the corner but when they were forced to open up again or be burned at the stake by the citizens, the COVID cases came roaring back. You know, like the REAL scientists said would happen. Lockdowns are at best only temporary and once they are lifted end up doing nothing but putting off the inevitable. Short of vaccine that will work, we need to concentrate on treatment just as President Trump tried to push a long time ago. When I hear someone talk about “serious plan,” I start seeing the UK and Australia where they are treating their citizens as criminals and having police everywhere fining people and locking them up and in general acting like the Stasi of the old East Germany. “Serious plan of enforcement?” Does that mean people being arrested, spied on and treated like criminals in their own country? Our elected officials (it seems both parities) assuming the role of health inspector glorioso with all the knowledge there is telling everyone what to do. Maybe I flunked my Civics class (actually I made A’s) but I don’t recall state and local officials being given the power to rule by fiat or like dictators short of Marshall law being declared and an emergency of such magnitude so as to immediately endanger each and every person within their jurisdiction. Even that has a legal procedure that must be followed and NONE of that has happened. We have become either so frightened by the baloney put out there or we have just become so well trained that we follow orders like some mindless atomatons. Fear is a strong influence but it is time that we start thinking for ourselves and stop acting out of fear. We need to reign in the politicians that think they can rule as dictators. And most especially don’t listen to or go along with people that will accept any level of forced submission so as to, in some way, feel safe.
I have been in the healthcare environment for over 30 years.
As I have said before our State needs outside expertise (e.g. Dr. Anthony Fauci) to provide real guidance to our State to help formulate a plan to more effectively mitigate the raging pandemic of our State. The current “experts” from State, outside of government (e.g. IU), have done little more than to create a bunch of numbers that are totally not understood by the lay person.
There needs to a ground swell of outrage from the medical community (i.e. hospital, physicians, medical organizations, nursing organization, pharmacists, etc.) to force a change in how our State is handling the pandemic.
The State has the money to finance, through the Care ACT, to fund a more comprehensive plan to provide all the necessary tools (PPE, testing, contact tracing, etc.) to get the situation under control.
A responsible government would be able to balance the economy AND public health. Indiana appears not to be able to multitask. A responsible State government would be able to do both.
(As a small business owner, I have lost at least 50% of my income for the year. I know the financial consequences of the pandemic. It took months, at the beginning, to even obtain the necessary amount of PPE to keep my employees and customers safe. I have been able to keep the staff intact as well. However, one does not know what the future will bring.)
Phillip, no one has been able to reign this pandemic under control even with the strictest measures. Look at Europe who was the picture of what we should have done. They are going through the same thing as they did in spring. Australia is no better. Seems only New Zealand who is an island and was able to cut off all contact with the rest of the world pretty much was able to get a hand on this. As far as China, I don’t believe they have told the truth about how serious it is there and we will never know.
+1 Rhea.
But on the bright side, the flu is cured?
Only 3400 people are hospitalized with COVID. In the entire state. And when we say “hospitalized with COVID,” keep in mind that the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths from other causes, like, say, influenza or pneumonia, are way down compared to previous years. So either those diseases have been cured or people with other conditions (“co-morbidities?’) are being categorized as COVID patients. Bottom line: this is nothing but fear mongering. And how does the governor have the power to tell privately owned hospitals whom they may treat or admit? This is tyranny! Not as bad as say California or New York, but I’m sorry, I’m not ok with a little bit of tyranny, or Tyranny Lite!
I think you have it right. The level of fear is being used against us. And again, as I mentioned in an above comment. These politicians DO NOT have the LEGAL right to do what they are doing. They are simply doing and we are obeying and with all the lawyers we have in this state and country, we are not seeing any real legal challenges being made. Get better treatment(s) and really put it upon people to act responsibly and not get around other people if you are feeling sick. I have now known at least 40 people that have had COVID since last March and only one has died and they had other health issues that contributed to it. People not being treated for medical issues or not getting to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment will in the end cause more deaths than COVID by a wide stretch.
He will punish the citizens of the state who will be stuck with big co pays next year but won’t tell the legislature to wear masks. I continue to lose respect for this man. Rules for thee, not for me.