Today, Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregon had finalized contracts with the medical staffing companies Jogan Health Solutions and AMN Healthcare to deploy much needed health care personnel to health care facilities managing the ongoing surge of COVID-19 patients.
“The deployment of crisis response teams should provide some welcome relief to our hospitals, particularly in Central and Southern Oregon, that are overwhelmed given the recent surge in hospitalizations among mostly unvaccinated individuals,” said Governor Brown in an Aug. 25 press release. “The hospital crisis we are facing isn’t just about beds––it’s about having enough trained health care professionals to treat patients. I am so pleased that we will be able to provide these resources to help our hospitals and long-term care facilities meet increased demand and can continue to provide vital health care to Oregonians.”
The contracts will equip Oregon health care facilities with added nurses, paramedics and other health professionals to help respond to the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations fueled by the Delta variant.
Through Jogan Health Solutions, up to 300 registered nurses, 20 paramedics, 61 certified nursing assistants, 34 respiratory therapists and five medical technicians will support:
- St. Charles Health System
- Bend
- Redmond
- Asante hospitals
- Medford
- Ashland
- Grants Pass
- Providence-Medford Medical Center
- Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg
These teams will move to other hospitals if needed.
Additionally, 10 long-term care crisis response teams will be sent to facilities around the state to help discharge stable patients.
Rising hospitalizations indicate continued need to work together
COVID-19 associated hospitalizations have increased by more than 990% since July 9. As of Aug. 24, there were 1,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 283 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds.
That leaves Oregon with only 45 adult ICU beds and 369 adult non-ICU hospital beds remaining throughout the state.
If you have a medical condition that does not require emergency care, please call your doctor or visit an urgent care center for assistance. If you need a COVID-19 test, please visit our testing page or call 211 to find a non-emergent testing location.
With the Delta variant spreading, it’s never been more important to practice preventive safety measures in our communities. Together, we need to:
- Wear face coverings in public indoor spaces and most public outdoor spaces.
- Keep our gatherings small.
- Stay home when we are sick.
- Wash our hands often.
- Physically distance from people we don’t live with.
- Get vaccinated if we are eligible.
To learn more about the recent changes in statewide policy to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon, click here.