Jackson Hospital and Baptist Health said their facilities have been on diversion this week, meaning capacity is filled enough that hospitals must turn divert incoming patients to other hospitals.
At Jackson on Thursday, there were no ICU beds available. Six ICU patients were in overflow beds, with another four holding in the emergency room.
Hospital capacity is constantly in flux, with bed capacity fluid, but Montgomery's situation mirrors a concerning trend around the state. A meteoric rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations shows no signs of slowing, and officials warned this week the surge could begin to affect hospitals' ability to fully care for everyday patients as beds fill.
Dr. David Thrasher , a Montgomery pulmonologist who treats COVID-19 patients across the River Region , said Thursday the worst of the current surge is yet to come. Alabama reported 2,441 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Thursday, and officials believe that number will top 3,000 within days.
"I don't think we're going to peak until probably the week after Labor Day ," Thrasher said. "I'm hoping it will peak and come straight down, but we're scared to death it could go up and plateau. It's going to be like Sherman going through Georgia : Hard, fast and taking no prisoners."
Officials around the state are encouraging Alabamians to mask up to slow the spread and preserve hospital capacity through this wave, in addition to seeking a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.
"ICU and hospital beds at all three Baptist Health hospitals are in a negative status," Baptist said in a statement in response to a Montgomery Advertiser inquiry. "This is creating extremely long wait times and causing a high number of patients, many of who are critical, to be held in our Emergency Departments. We are managing our situation on a shift-by-shift, moment-by-moment basis and doing everything in our power to care for our current patients."
Baptist Health said their River Region facilities have been on diversion more often than not in the past week.
Nearly 30 percent of Alabama hospitals reported a "critical staffing shortage" last week, according to Department of Health and Human Services data. A slightly higher number of hospitals anticipated a "critical staffing shortage" within a week.
Dr. Don Williamson , director of the Alabama Hospital Administration , said Thursday Alabama's surge is about seven to 10 days behind similar trends seen in Florida , Louisiana and Mississippi . Mississippi this week constructed a field hospital to care for COVID-19 patients in a hospital parking garage, staffed by an emergency federal medical unit. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also extended a state of emergency declaration for another 30 days.
More: Mississippi COVID-19 cases reach over 20k, over 100 deaths in one week
Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said Thursday the state had been in talks with federal officials this week about similar aid, though no Alabama hospital has yet to reach Mississippi's level of overflow.
UAB limits cancer and heart transplant surgeries by 50%
UAB, one of Alabama's major hospital systems that provides specialty care unavailable to smaller hospitals, announced Thursday it must halve its planned cancer and heart transplant surgeries amid the ongoing surge.
Dr. Sarah Nafziger , vice president of UAB Hospital Clinical Services, said she's tried hard through the pandemic not to say anything to panic the public. But an "absolute tidal wave" of patients have already forced UAB to turn down patient transfers from other hospitals and limit other services.
"I don't want anyone to feel we're in a dire circumstance if it's not accurate. But I want you to hear me very carefully: We're in a dire circumstance. It's time for people to really take this seriously. The numbers and outlook does not look good," Nafziger said.
Nafziger said many people think healthcare will always be there, but the system is not "unbreakable" and resources may soon be unavailable for everyday circumstances like heart attacks and car accidents.
"It's time we take action to turn this thing around," Nafziger said. "... We can turn this thing around if we take action right now."
Pediatric cases increase
Children's of Alabama said Thursday five pediatric COVID patients are on ventilators in their hospital. The hospital is treating 22 COVID patients total.
The number is small compared to adult cases, but Children's says it's a significant increase over a previous record high of 13 in January.
"This marked increase is due to the community spread of the delta variant that is impacting younger people, including children," Children's said in a Thursday statement.
Alabama COVID-19 cases by day
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Melissa Brown at 334-240-0132 or mabrown@gannett.com.
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