EIRMC releases statement on Crisis Standards of Care

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) has activated Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) in accordance with IDAPA 16.02.09 – Crisis Standards of Care For Healthcare Entities. CSC is activated statewide because the massive increase of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization in all areas of the state has exhausted existing resources.

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical released the following statement:

The Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) recently implemented across Idaho give facilities additional flexibility in making decisions around how to care for patients and utilize hospital resources.

This can include making difficult choices around the allocation of certain life-saving treatments, as well as other contingencies such as utilizing all available hospital resources and spaces to care for patients.

While the announcement is an alarming reminder of the seriousness of the health crisis, we at EIRMC are committed to doing everything we can to continue delivering the best care possible to every patient.

We will not be making immediate changes to our hospital operations as a result of this announcement, but we will continue to monitor the demands on our staff and resources that could limit our ability to deliver the level of care we normally provide our community.

If it does become necessary for us to make decisions around prioritizing treatments, we will do so in accordance with established CSC guidelines. We hope we can avoid that difficult decision, but we need the community’s help.

As we carefully evaluate the options we have in responding to the evolving needs of our community, our focus continues to be on the health and safety of our patients, colleagues and all Idahoans.

This latest surge of cases and hospitalizations was largely preventable if our fellow Idahoans had chosen to receive the vaccine. At this critical moment in our fight against COVID-19, we urge all community members to do all they can to protect themselves and others as the pandemic surges: get vaccinated if you are able, wear masks around other people, and socially distance where appropriate.