Dear Nurses,
You are dedicated.
You care.
You make a difference.
We honor you.
The report includes summaries of admissions, discharges, patient days, neonatal and newborn admissions and patient days, emergency department visits, and ambulatory surgeries. Inpatient admissions for acute and specialty care remained relatively stable with only slight declines for the year of 1.5% and 1.2% respectively. There was a statistically significant decrease in ED visits in 2019. The principal cause appears to be the closure of the Providence Hospital Emergency Department in April 2019. Other hospitals throughout the city experienced disproportionate changes. When compared with 2018, four hospitals had decreased ED visits and four had increased ED visits. In 2019 there were 470,719 visits – a decrease of 7.2% compared to 2018.
The events of this past week around racial injustice have weighed heavily on all of us here at the District of Columbia Hospital Association. The tragic loss of George Floyd (MN), Breonna Taylor (KY) and Ahmaud Arbery (GA) weighs heavy on our hearts and the hurt being felt by so many people is palpable. Because of a lack of progressive change when it comes to equity in health care, economic opportunity and other systemic issues of racial disparity, we have reached a tipping point. The root of the injustice and disparities being protested is a reality we must face and work to resolve. We see it, hear it, experience it.
DCHA believes that diversity, equity and inclusion are as important as ever. We support peaceful protests but do not condone intolerance, racism, violence or discrimination. We support our hospitals as places of healing and are committed to the well-being of ALL citizens – no matter their color, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, background or values.
Each of us must be more vigilant in doing the work of promoting acceptance and being accountable. We cannot and will not accept hate in any form. The senseless killings and day-to-day injustices inflicted upon individuals simply because of their skin color must end now.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. — Martin Luther King, Jr.
Recently the Trump Administration rolled back regulations prohibiting discrimination against our transgender patients, family members, associates and friends. The District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA) and its member hospitals are committed to treating all individuals that walk through our doors with dignity, respect and compassion no matter their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, beliefs or values. This commitment to providing a caring environment echoes through our hallways, operating rooms and emergency departments every day of the year.
Fifty-one years after Stonewall, we believe it’s important to make it clear that discrimination has no place in our society and certainly not in our hospitals. Our member hospitals are committed to fostering a safe environment that celebrates the diversity of our LGBTQIA associates and patients.
COVID-19 affected many service lines in DC hospitals during the month of April 2020. The graphs and tables in this report show the impact as reflected in utilization metrics in comparison to previous months. Observing the trends in data reflecting indicators such as admissions, patient days and capacity are helpful in visualizing the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals in the District. Hospitals experienced their lowest volume of admissions, emergency visits and ambulatory surgeries for the time period presented during the month of April 2020. Percentage change for March and April 2020 from the same month in 2019 is depicted in the chart below for reference.
Hospitals changed the distribution of bed-type allocations and added beds to accommodate the potential surge. For example, based on the data reported in April, MedStar Washington Hospital Center expanded ICU bed capacity from 107 to 121 beds (13% increase) and Sibley Memorial Hospital added 137 Med Surg beds (110% increase since February). In addition, several hospitals transferred patient and modified beds for specialty program in preparation for potential surge including Psychiatric Institute of Washington, MedStar National Rehab, United Medical Center and BridgePoint skilled nursing facilities. Although these transitions for specialty care resulted in slightly higher admissions for some specialty care providers, the overall trend showed decreasing volumes.
Особенности
This report summarizes utilization data for DCHA member health care facilities through May 2020 as the COVID-19 peak in April 2020 appeared to wane slightly. This pattern can be seen throughout the report with the exception of newborn and neonatal admissions. The graph below compares the percentage change for April and May from a January 2020 baseline.
Note: The January 2020 volume baseline was selected for pre-COVID impact baseline as earlier comparisons were influenced by Providence Hospital data and other time-sensitive variables. All three metrics (acute care admissions, emergency department visits, and ambulatory surgeries) show modest improvements.
Особенности
The percent difference in utilization compared to the January pre-COVID baseline continued to show slow recovery from low point during peak COVID surge in April for emergency department visits, acute inpatient admissions, psychiatric admissions, and observation stays (Figure 1).
Although ambulatory surgery utilization as compared to the January baseline remained higher than the low point in April
2020, a slight decline since July 2020 was observed (Figure 2).
Особенности
Monitoring our utilization metrics, emergency department visits remained relatively steady over the last five months as compared to January 2020 pre-COVID baseline utilization. On the other hand, acute care admissions, observation patients and ambulatory surgery fluctuated over this time. All remained below pre-COVID January 2020 baseline, as shown in Figure 1 below. Occupancy rates for psychiatric units in acute care hospitals increased over the past four months for Children’s National Hospital, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and Howard University Hospital in particular (Figure 2).
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Figure 1: Utilization Metrics Impact from COVID-19 Comparing Recent Months to January 2020
Figure 2: Psychiatric Unit Occupancy Rate by Hospital
District of Columbia Hospitals Call for Employees to Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – June 9, 2021
District of Columbia hospitals and health systems call for all employees and clinical team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This important step helps ensure the safety and well-being of District hospital employees, patients, and visitors.
Under the District-wide consensus, nearly all health systems and hospitals in the District of Columbia will each set a date after which vaccination against COVID-19 will be a condition of employment (or contract engagement for non-employees who work at hospitals). Hospitals will comply with all federal and District laws in granting appropriate exemptions for medical or religious reasons.
The decision was based on expert guidance and data showing the minimal risk of COVID-19 vaccines, compared to their high rates of effectiveness.
To date, roughly 70% of all DC hospital employees have been fully vaccinated, 52.3% of District residents are partially or fully vaccinated and 42.3% of DC residents are fully vaccinated.
“The District of Columbia is blessed with a hospital workforce of over 30,000 individuals that provided and continue to provide compassionate and quality care throughout the pandemic,” said Jacqueline D. Bowens, President and CEO of the District of Columbia Hospital Association. “This consensus is a reiteration of our hospitals’ commitment to safety by keeping our staff, patients and visitors protected against COVID-19.”
District of Columbia Hospital Worker Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination
Consensus Statement – June 2021
The District of Columbia’s 14 hospitals and health systems are committed to make the District’s hospitals safe for every patient, every visitor, and every staff member. As part of their commitment to that goal, participating hospitals have, through the auspices of the District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA), made a decision to require all employees and clinical team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19. DCHA’s Board of Directors endorses this action.
The District’s hospitals have seen first-hand the devastation COVID-19 has caused to the people of the District and the region. They understand how deadly this disease can be. Leaders at the District’s hospitals and health systems are stepping up to protect the health and wellness of their communities.
Hospitals are confident of both the science and the safety behind the vaccines. To date, roughly 70% of all DC hospital employees have been fully vaccinated, 52.3% of District residents are partially or fully vaccinated and 42.3% of DC residents are fully vaccinated.
There have been minimal side effects and the benefits are great.
Each health system or hospital will set a date after which vaccination against COVID-19 will be a condition of employment (or contract engagement for non-employees who work at hospitals). Medical and religious exemptions will be determined by each health system or hospital.
All hospitals will continue to require other infection controls including wearing masks and other personal protective gear, social distancing, handwashing, and other measures per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
Implementation Guidance
The recommendations are not intended to interfere with or supersede the policies adopted at each hospital. No legal proceeding should reference a deviation from any part of this document. Each hospital and health system implementation plan/policy should include:
Additional opportunities:
