Department of Veterans Affairs COVID-19 deaths reached more than 1,000 over the weekend, and on Monday, VA announced plans for 20 of its hospitals to resume some healthcare services previously suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
VA has more than 12,200 total COVID-19 cases as of Monday, though more than 9,000 of them are "convalescent" meaning they're in recovery or it's been 14 days or more since they tested positive.
VA officials recently warned hospital leaders in internal memos that recovering patients who needed intensive care treatment to survive the virus could need as many as four weeks of major rehabilitation care.
Those totals include veterans and VA employees as well as civilians or troops VA care for at department hospitals under its fourth mission.
The number of active cases at the department has fallen steadily this month and the count on Monday -- 2,012 -- fell about 24 percent from last week.
At least 1,012 have died, including 703 patients in VA care. The virus-related death rate among VA patients is more than 8 percent -- higher than the national mortality rate from the virus of about 6 percent. Those numbers do not include the 30 VA employees who have died because of the virus.
VA leaders have said that as cases fall, VA hospitals and clinics will begin resuming normal operations -- beginning to provide healthcare services and appointments previously suspended because of the pandemic.
On Monday, the department announced just that.
At least 20 VA hospitals and clinics will begin resuming more normal operations, including:
- White River Junction, Vermont: 9 cases, none active
- Syracuse, New York: 12 cases, 2 active
- Erie, Pennsylvania: 6 cases, 1 active
- Hershal "Woody" Williams, West Virginia: 6 cases, none active
- Salem, Virginia: 7 cases, 2 active
- Ralph H. Johnson, South Carolina: 24 cases, 9 active
- West Palm Beach, Florida: 56 cases, 10 active
- James H. Quillen, Tennessee: 19 cases, 2 active
- Louis Stokes Cleveland, Ohio: 220 cases, 42 active
- Tomah, Wisconsin: 4 cases, none active
- William S. Middleton Memorial, Wisconsin
- Kansas City, Missouri: 86 cases, 13 active
- Central Arkansas: 60 cases, 17 active
- South Texas: 61 cases, 14 active
- Fort Harrison, Montana: 5 cases, none active
- Puget Sound, Washington: 115 cases, 20 active
- Boise, Idaho: 14 cases, 1 active
- Southern Nevada: 72 cases, 9 active
- Southern Arizona: 36 cases, 4 active
- Fargo, North Dakota: 24 cases, 11 active
Of the 20 set to reopen some services, 14 have at least one patient still being treated for the virus who is not in recovery yet, according to VA data.
VA leaders have said that the department's three-phase plan to resume pre-coronavirus operations aims to "maximize veterans' safety," adding that VA "never closed its doors" during the pandemic, but did take steps to curb some operations to prevent spreading the virus. On Monday, VA said "the lessons learned from these initial sites" resuming some normal operations "will help inform how other facilities plan for expanding services."
VA announces plan to return to 'pre-COVID-19 operations'
“The safety of veterans and staff is the highest priority when we consider how we provide healthcare services and procedures during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a statement Monday. “VA will take into account guidance from various agencies including federal, state and local government as we gradually expand healthcare services.”
VA said each of its networks and medical centers will consider "unique circumstances of their state and local markets, environmental safety preparedness and clinical risk assessments" moving forward.
VA also developed a "risk-based" plan to prioritize urgent and non-urgent procedures, including patient health, staff safety and resources to help determine how sites resume operations, how appointments are scheduled and which services will begin again.
"VA will continue to track capacity needs for inpatient beds and other resources," the department said.
VA safety measures include "employee and veteran COVID-19 screening, physical distancing and appropriate personal protective attire such as face coverings ... at all facilities" and the department plans to continue to use telehealth options to reduce risks to patients and staff.
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Are you a veteran, family member or VA employee dealing with the coronavirus? Contact Abbie Bennett: abbie@connectingvets.com or @AbbieRBennett. If you require secure communications, email abbierbennett@protonmail.com.
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