SALISBURY, Md. - TidalHealth Peninsula Regional announced Tuesday the hospital's move into crisis standards for care protocols, citing significant increases in emergency department volumes, COVID-19-related hospitalizations as well as the ongoing national staffing shortage.
Since December 1, TidalHealth said it has collectively experienced over a 300% increase in admissions for COVID-19 and record-setting numbers of emergency department visits for COVID-19 related symptoms.
According to TidalHealth, crisis standards of care is implemented in times when demand for healthcare exceeds a hospital's ability to provide it through normal means.
Tidalhealth said TidalHealth Peninsula Regional is the thirteenth hospital in Maryland to implement crisis standards for care.
On Monday, TidalHealth Nanticoke joined a number of Delaware hospitals, including Bayhealth in announcing the crisis standards for care protocol.
