The number of hospitalized patients in Northwest Arkansas and the state began to decline this week from the all-time highs set last week, but the number of patients in intensive care and on ventilators remained steady.
Meanwhile, a winter storm created additional staffing challenges for hospitals and temporarily closed clinics and covid-19 testing sites.
A total of 170 patients were hospitalized with covid-19 in the region Friday, compared to 168 patients a week ago and an all-time high of 185 patients on Jan. 25, according to the Northwest Arkansas Council.
The state reported 1,550 hospitalized covid-19 patients Friday, down from 1,720 a week ago, and the record 1,819 patients set Jan. 26, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. During the delta variant surge, hospitalizations reached a high of 1,459 patients Aug. 16.
On Friday, 448 covid-19 patients were in ICU and 225 were on ventilators, according to the department. A week ago, 501 covid-19 patients were in ICU and 241 were on ventilators.
In Northwest Arkansas, the number of patients in intensive care peaked at 122 Wednesday before falling to 103 patients Friday, according to the council. There were 52 patients on ventilators Friday. The numbers include both those with covid-19 and other medical needs.
A week ago, 105 patients in the region were in an intensive care unit and 29 were on ventilators. The all-time high was 140 patients in ICU on Sept. 8 and 87 on ventilators on Sept. 2.
In the River Valley, there were 57 covid-19 patients at Mercy Fort Smith on Friday, down from 73 a week ago, according to spokeswoman Mardi Taylor. Five fewer patients were in ICU than a week ago, for a total of 15.
Baptist Health Fort Smith and Van Buren had a combined 92 covid-19 patients Friday, up from 89 last week, according to Kim Miller, region president. Baptist Health Fort Smith had 85 covid-19 patients Friday, including 22 in covid critical care units and 12 on ventilators, and Baptist Health Van Buren had seven covid-19 patients, she said.
"It has been a challenging week," Miller said. "We hit our peak earlier this week, and as numbers decreased we were hit with a winter storm."
All staff members have risen to the occasion and worked together seamlessly, she said.
Funding from the Arkansas American Rescue Plan Act enabled Mercy Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith to increase staffing and open additional floors to meet the needs of the recent surge of covid infections, according to spokesman Nate Kuester.
Hospitalizations at Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas have reached an all-time high, and patients are more critically ill, he said.
The overall number of hospitalizations at Mercy Fort Smith may be trending down slightly, but the number of cases of those in need of critical care remains steady, Taylor said.
"Despite the challenges presented by covid among our staff, we have delivered uninterrupted care," she said, crediting the dedication of employees and additional resources.
With the rapid spread of the omicron variant, Washington Regional has seen increased demand for care in all areas of the system including in hospital units, the emergency department, outpatient clinics and the covid-19 testing location, said spokeswoman Natalie Hardin.
Though patients are less likely to need hospitalization with omicron, the unprecedented number of cases is resulting in more hospitalizations, she said. While the hospital has seen a decrease in demand for testing and lower positivity rates in its testing center this week, that has not yet translated to a meaningful decrease in hospitalized patients with covid-19, she said.
"This week across our region, when taking into consideration the combined number of ICU and covid-positive patients, we are at a level not seen previously during this public health emergency," Hardin said.
The hospital is full with limited ICU and inpatient beds available, she said. It's not uncommon for both covid and noncovid patients to wait an extended period in the emergency department for a bed to open up, she said.
Staffing
Local hospitals have been strained by the number of staff members out due to covid-19 and faced the additional challenge of the winter storm that hit the area this week. Washington Regional, Mercy and Baptist Health provided overnight accommodations and rides to work for staff members in response to the weather.
In January, Washington Regional had nearly four times the number of employees out of work with seasonal illness and covid-19 illness and exposure, compared to the previous surge last summer, Hardin said. In response, the hospital used its covid-19 surge plan, which allows it to shift staff and resources to areas of greater need, she said.
As overall case numbers drop, the hospital is seeing a decrease in the number of team members out for covid-19-related illness and exposure, which is easing staffing issues, she said.
The hospital provided sleeping accommodations and meals for employees who chose to stay on campus during the winter storm, Hardin said. It also implemented a snow line, which helps team members who need a ride to work, she said.
The winter weather closed Washington Regional's drive-through testing and vaccination clinic in Fayetteville on Thursday, but it reopened Friday, Hardin said. Several clinic locations throughout Northwest Arkansas closed their offices for a couple days to ensure the safety of patients and community. However, many were able to continue providing telehealth visits, and urgent care clinics remained open, she said.
Mercy Fort Smith has reached a point where the number of employees returning to work, following illness or need for quarantine, has surpassed the number of those unable to come to work, Taylor said.
Mercy Northwest Arkansas has also seen a decline in workers having to quarantine, Kuester said. At the height of the omicron surge, about 140 employees were out due to quarantine in Rogers, but that number has fallen below 50, he said.
Mercy Northwest Arkansas increased staffing in preparation for the winter storm and benefited from the volunteer group Angels on Ice and others who gave staff members rides to work, Kuester said.
The storm required Mercy Fort Smith to reevaluate staffing needs and shift some schedules, Taylor said. Employees were provided space where they could stay overnight, along with meals, should they need it, she said.
Mercy closed its primary care and specialty offices for in-person visits on Thursday and Friday, but virtual care options remained available. The drive-through covid testing site in Bentonville was also closed Thursday and Friday.
Mercy GoHealth and Convenient Care locations remained open.
Baptist Health is continuing to see more employees return to work, Miller said. On Friday, only 12 staff members in the River Valley were out with covid-19, she said. Overnight lodging was available to employees who were concerned about driving in the winter storm, she said.
New cases
Washington County had 290 new covid-19 cases Friday, the most in the state, followed by Benton County with 105 cases and Pulaski County with 102 cases, according to the Department of Health. Sebastian County reported 31 new cases and Crawford County reported 29.
Arkansas reported 1,507 new cases Friday, down from 5,660 cases a week ago and 13,073 two weeks ago, according to the department.
Benton, Washington, Crawford and Sebastian counties saw a combined 36 deaths this week for a total of 1,930, according to the Department of Health.
Vaccination is still the best line of defense against the covid-19 virus and greatly reduces the risk of hospitalization due to the complications of a covid infection, Miller said.
Washington County had the highest vaccination rate in the four-county area Friday with 13.3% of the eligible population partially vaccinated, 44.7% fully vaccinated and 17.7% boosted, according to the Department of Health. Benton County followed with 12% of the population partially vaccinated, 54.6% fully vaccinated and 17.8% boosted.
Numbers were slightly lower in the River Valley. In Sebastian County, 11.3% of the eligible population was partially vaccinated Friday, 47.9% was fully vaccinated and 14.3% was boosted. In Crawford County, 9% were partially vaccinated, 45.7% were fully vaccinated and 14.9% were boosted.
Covid-19 cases in Benton and Washington counties
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NoneDay^New cases^hospitalizations^ICU*^Ventilators*
Monday^1,681^163^111^50
Tuesday^630^171^114^49
Wednesday^615^170^122^53
Thursday^734^164^115^50
Friday^395^170^103^52
* Patients in ICU and on ventilators include those with covid-19 and other medical needs.
Source: Northwest Arkansas Council.