Washington Long-Term Care Facilities to Free Up Hospital Beds With New Non-COVID Units

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In an effort to ease omicron's strain on Washington hospitals, 10 long-term care facilities statewide will open new units to treat non-COVID-19 patients who no longer need acute care.

The Washington Department of Social and Health Services announced Thursday that it has also contracted with temporary nurse agency AMN Healthcare to staff 250 nursing professionals at the sites.

According to DSHS, long-term care facilities have faced staffing challenges, limiting the number of non-COVID patients the facilities have been able to admit. The units, which will operate until June 30, will free up 240 beds in hospitals for those who require acute treatment.

"This is a much-needed resource that aligns with the governor's initiative of supporting hospital staff and their capacity to treat patients," DSHS Assistant Secretary Bill Moss said in a news release.

The first unit will open in Seattle this week at Kin On Rehabilitation and Care Center. Other units which will open over the next month, include:

* Avalon Federal Way Care Center

* North Cascades Health and Rehabilitation Center in Bellingham

* Stafford Healthcare in Des Moines

* The Oaks at Lakewood in Lakewood, Pierce County

* Olympia Transitional Care and Rehabilitation

* Vancouver Specialty and Rehabilitative Care



* The Oaks at Timberline in Vancouver

* Royal Park Health and Rehabilitation in Spokane

* Avalon Health & Rehabilitation Center in Pasco

"While I'm encouraged by our rapidly declining COVID-19 case rates, our hospitalization rate remains higher than at any other point during the pandemic," Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. "Our hospital staff continue to do incredible work, but many are understandably burned out. This program is a crucial step to ease some of the burden that's been placed on them during this surge."

Last week, public health officials said COVID hospitalizations are still rising statewide, though there are signs the numbers are starting to flatten — specifically in Western Washington.

Vice president of the Washington State Hospital Association Taya Briley said hospital leaders strongly support the state's plan to free up acute care resources and beds.

"We also urge the state legislature to take action and provide increased funding for nursing homes," she said in a statement.

More funding for nursing homes, she added, would keep the services open and remove administrative process barriers to discharging patients from hospitals to long-term care centers.

Hospitals have been asking for state support in discharging patients for months, pointing to those who no longer need a hospital bed but still require some type of medical care.

Hospital leaders have blamed staffing shortages and a lack of space in long-term care facilities as the main reasons it's been difficult to discharge patients, who can include teens and adults who need inpatient mental health treatment. Because they have nowhere to go, many end up stuck in the hospital, while other patients — COVID and otherwise — continue to file into emergency rooms statewide.