“We are preparing for the continued surge after the holiday. The hospital staff are already working hard. I thank the hospital leadership for their work to ensure capacity, including postponing non-emergency surgeries and procedures to ensure that they are capable of handling severe COVID cases. And other emergencies without putting patients at risk,” Pritzker said in the statement. “To all Illinois: Please understand that the spread of COVID in this country is high, and some operations in Illinois will be postponed. We ask our residents to temporarily postpone important medical care, such as tonsillectomy, weight loss surgery, and hernia repair. While we are working hard to keep the ICU beds open, I continue to commend the efforts of Jeonju Hospital and medical staff, who have always been heroes for all of us.”

As of December 29, about 17% of hospital beds were open. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, There are 5,689 COVID patients in hospital beds across the state and 20,220 non-COVID patients in hospital beds, leaving 5,552 open beds.

The situation in intensive care beds is even worse. As of December 29, only 313 ICU beds were opened in the state, accounting for about 10%. Among the 2,967 ICU beds in Illinois, there are 1,010 COVID patients and 1,644 non-COVID patients.

Some hospitals in the Chicago area are still accepting all patients, but every day.

In Sinai Chicago, non-emergency procedures are still being arranged, but managers and staff “meet five or six times a day” to discuss the capacity and staffing of its two hospitals, Mount Sinai and Holy Cross Hospital, and the system’s Dr. Russell Fiorella said the Chief Medical Officer. He said that there are currently about 60 COVID patients in the Sinai Peninsula in Chicago, and just a few months ago, this number increased from 5 to 10.

“Our highest point at the beginning of the pandemic was the low point in the 90s or 100s, so we have finished about two-thirds,” he said. “But the other side of the matter is that we are in a nationwide staffing crisis, which makes the situation even more complicated.”

Fiorella said the Sinai Peninsula is operating in accordance with a Level 4 contingency plan and is currently at Level 2 with an ICU capacity of approximately 15%. At level 3, there is 10% availability, while at level 4 there is no availability. He said that the system is in a bypass state, which means it does not accept patient transfers from outside hospitals.

Fiorella said that as long as science shows that it can continue to serve all patients, and the governor still allows individual hospitals to have flexibility, Sinai will implement non-emergency procedures.

“In our patient group, mainly African Americans and Latinos, we have seen a lot of comorbidities and chronic diseases,” he said. “So when we basically become a COVID hospital, we put these patients at risk. We have to balance this.”

At Advocate Aurora Health, decisions are made at the field level, not at all hospitals in Illinois or at hospitals in Wisconsin.

AAH said in an email statement: “Like health systems across the country, our census of COVID inpatients is increasing rapidly, and the vast majority of patients are not vaccinated.” “We are closely monitoring the situation and providing assistance to patients. Be prepared for the continued increase in the number of people. Sometimes, this leads to the need to suspend or reschedule some non-critical or optional procedures, depending on the number of local COVID cases, staffing, and bed availability. Emergency and emergency services will continue 24/7 It is provided hourly and it is vital for patients to seek care when they need it.”

Although there is no mandatory termination of non-emergency procedures, the state requires hospitals to continue to follow IDPH guidance On when to consider postponing elective surgeries and procedures that doctors believe can be rescheduled without risking patient harm.

In addition, in order to increase staffing to ensure the provision of medical services, Pritzker has expanded state exemptions to allow out-of-state health care professionals to work in Illinois and invited hospitals to participate in their staffing contracts so that they can bring in the statement that Increase the availability of staff when needed to ensure that they are able to treat COVID-19 patients.

“The hospital continues to be at the forefront of this struggle and is doing everything it can to maintain all patients’ access to health care. However, we need your help. Put on a mask. Social distancing. Avoid large gatherings. And please get vaccinated and get vaccinated. Step up. Vaccination is still the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death,” said Karen Teitelbaum, President and CEO of Sinai Chicago Health System and Chairman of the IHA Board of Directors, in a statement.

This story first appeared in our sister publication, Crain’s Chicago business.