WRGB spoke with Dr. Steven Hanks, CEO of Trinity Health New York, who said flu-related hospitalizations across the state are at record highs.
From the story:
“This is a record year for flu hospitalizations in the state of New York,” Hanks said. “Orders of magnitude higher, certainly much higher than anything we’ve seen in the last decade.”
Hospitals within the Trinity Health system, along with facilities like St. Peter’s Health Partners, report bed demand similar to what was seen during the peak of COVID. In response, some hospitals have designated specific units for flu patients to help limit the spread of the virus within their facilities.
To manage the surge, hospitals have brought in additional physicians and nursing staff, diverted patients who don’t require hospital-level care to alternative treatment sites, and worked closely with insurers to safely discharge patients when possible.
“We’ve made more physicians available, we’ve made more nursing staff available, and we’ve worked closely with MVP to assist us in discharging patients,” Hanks said.
Doctors say this year’s Influenza A strain is driving many of the hospital admissions. While the flu can make otherwise healthy people very sick, Hanks said the biggest concern is how it affects those with chronic medical conditions.
“The big problem with influenza like this is not just the influenza itself,” he said. “It really strains people who have chronic disease.”
To view the story, click HERE.
