State of Missouri to partner with Vizient to expand statewide hospital capacity this winter
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The state of Missouri is teaming up with a health care services company to help combat the staffing challenges caused by the coronavirus.
Gov. Mike Parson announced Wednesday evening a 12-week partnership with Vizient to bring in additional medical staff to expand the statewide hospital capacity by over 600 hospital beds.
Watch the governor's briefing replay in the player below.
Missouri has seen hospital bed capacity shrink as COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to increase this fall. In November, the state set and broke hospitalization records multiple times.
“Since the start of COVID-19, we have continually monitored Missouri’s statewide health care system and focused on supporting our hospitals and health care workers as much as possible,” Gov. Parson said. “Staffing continues to be one of the biggest challenges right now, and we are currently doing everything we can at the state level to assist.”
“Other states like Arizona have worked with Vizient through the COVID-19 crisis, so we are hopeful that this will provide meaningful support for our hospitals and the people of Missouri,” Gov. Parson continued.
Through the partnership, Vizient will deploy up to 760 additional staff members through its contracted agencies to multiple, geographically dispersed hospitals across the state, including registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and certified nurse assistants.
The Missouri Hospital Association reported Wednesday that 20% of ICU capacity remains statewide. The data included 670 were admitted to ICU beds on Sunday.
The state will fund the first phase of the project through the end of this year using CARES Act funding, and hospital partners will fund the remainder.
“The state’s new partnership with Vizient will allow rapid deployment of staff to support hospital capacity in all regions of the state,” said Missouri Hospital Association President and CEO Herb Kuhn. “In the days and weeks ahead, these agency staff workers will provide essential support to our hospitals. We thank Governor Parson for his efforts to deliver these skilled caregivers to help address the staff shortages that present a threat to hospitals’ capacity to provide care to the critically ill.”
Not all hospitals will take part in the program, but they will be given the opportunity to take part if they need the staffing.
A spokesman for MU Health said it is still gathering information, and couldn't say whether or not they would partake. ABC17 News reached out to Boone Hospital, SSM Health St. Mary's and Capital Region Medical Center to see if they planned on applying, but did not immediately receive a response.
Parson didn't give a cost for the program when asked, saying the number would become available once hospitals have finalized their requests.
"You also have to remember, whatever the cost is, this is about saving people's lives and we are going to do everything within our power to do that," Parson said.
