Because of this, Valleywise relies on traveling nurses and other temporary team members to fill the void. But as COVID hospital admissions rise again, resources are dwindling. “We want to be able to meet these patient needs by getting them to the organizations on time,” said Dr. White. “If you increase the number of COVID-positive patients, the resources available decrease.” Valleywise has not yet been forced to redirect patients to other local hospitals, but officials are ready to do so if necessary, he continued. As the pandemic worsens, vaccinations are also increasing. Just over 1,000 of Valleywise’s 4,000+ employees had to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by last week, White said. Like Banner, Valleywise makes exceptions for employees who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons. “We have seen an increase in the number of people who have not previously been vaccinated while working in our organization. As Valleywise moves forward thanks to its mandate, Holly Ward, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Hospital and Health Care Association, said it was too early to say what the mandates will mean for staffing in the long run, with due dates still a long way off . But Ward said her organization’s primary concern was staffing, as nearby states draw on the same list of resources as Arizona.
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