Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday eased restrictions on healthcare providers and volunteers as the officials continue to fight the continued rise of coronavirus cases in the state.
“While we are seeing promising signs in our ongoing fight against COVID-19, we must continue to prepare for all scenarios, and that includes making sure we have to the necessary staff to confront a potential medical surge,” said Governor Northam. “This pandemic is placing extraordinary demands on our doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners, and these policies will enable us to expand our health care workforce so more trained medical professionals can step in and help.”
It is estimated that up to 30,000 additional workers are needed in Virginia’s hospitals, long-term care facilities, and public health departments, should a surge of coronavirus patients flood state hospitals, the governor said.
While Northam’s announcement welcome news for officials at Mary Washington Hosptial in Fredericksburg, the facility has not reached the point where additional boots on the ground are needed.
“Our community has made considerable efforts to maintain physical distance and flatten the COVID-19 curve in our region. However, in anticipation of an increasing number of patients seeking care, we have initiated discussions with our local Virginia Medical Reserve Corps office to identify volunteer roles that may be needed in clinical and non-clinical areas. While we don’t have a need for volunteers just yet, they are already supporting us by reinforcing straps on N95 masks for our staff,” said Kathy Wall, chief human resources officer for Mary Washington Healthcare.
The governor continued:
The order adds physician offices and other health care facilities to the section in Executive Order Fifty-Two allowing hospitals, nursing facilities, and dialysis facilities to have out-of-state licensees provide in-state care. It allows Virginia-licensed nurse practitioners with two or more years of clinical experience to practice without a collaborative agreement. It provides additional flexibility to hospitals in the supervision of interns, residents, and fellows, and allows hospitals to use fourth year medical students in the provision of care.
Executive Order Fifty-Seven also allows for expanded use of telehealth. Physicians with licenses from another state who have current Virginia patients may continue to treat their patients via telehealth, which will help ensure Virginians who live in border communities do not have to travel out-of-state for care.
Anyone who’s interested in volunteering can visit vvhs.vamrc.org to learn more.
As of today, there are 8,053 cases of coronavirus in the state. A total of 258 people have died from the disease, and 1,296 people remain hospitalized. A total of 51,931 people have been tested for coronavirus symptoms.
