Southcoast Health reveals what tasks the National Guard are handling in hospitals, how many were sent

Today, the National Guard began aiding Massachusetts hospitals which include locations on the Southcoast.

Last week, the Baker-Polito Administration announced additional measures to address a recent rise in COVID-19 cases and to ensure acute care hospitals have sufficient capacity to care for both COVID and non-COVID patients.

The Commonwealth’s healthcare system is facing a critical staffing shortage which has contributed to the loss of approximately 500 medical/surgical and ICU hospital beds since the beginning of the year. Hospitals are also seeing a high level of patients, many due to non-COVID related reasons.

Governor Baker activated up to 500 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to address the non-clinical support needs of hospitals and transport systems. Up to 300 of these Guard members began training last week and will support 55 acute care hospitals, as well as 12 ambulance service providers across the Commonwealth.

Fall River Reporter contacted Southcoast Health spokesperson Kaitlyn Cox to find out how many National Guard were dispatched to their Charlton, St. Lukes, and Tobey Hospitals in Fall River, New Bedford, and Wareham respectively.

“Southcoast Health is grateful to the Massachusetts National Guard and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for their assistance. Beginning on Monday, December 27, approximately 20 National Guard soldiers will provide non-clinical support in areas such as security, patient transport, and patient sitting across all three hospitals.”

DPH also released updated guidance last week to hospitals concerning nonessential, elective invasive procedures. To preserve health care personnel resources, effective 12:01am on December 27th, all hospitals are directed to postpone or cancel all nonessential elective procedures likely to result in inpatient admission in order to maintain and increase inpatient capacity.