New Mexico close to rationing hospital care amid pandemic

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
August 25, 2021

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Top health officials warned Wednesday that New Mexico is about a week away from rationing health care as COVID-19 infections continue to climb.

State Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said during a briefing that the state is tracking along with its worst-case projections when it comes to spread of the virus and resulting hospitalizations. He pointed to an increase of more than 20% in pandemic patients needing care in just the past day, saying there’s a waiting list of about 50 patients who need intensive care.

“We’re going to have to choose who gets care and who doesn’t get care,” he said, “and we don’t want to get to that point.”

It was December 2020 when New Mexico was last at the brink of having to ration care. Unlike many other states, New Mexico was able to weather that crisis by having a cooperative system in place among hospitals throughout the state that allowed them to transfer as needed to ensure there were no gaps in care.

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Scrase said the biggest constraint right now is the shortage of nurses and other health care workers. While federal aid is available to help bring in traveling nurses, he said that pool of workers is in high demand as states across the country are feeling the pinch.

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