National Survey Depicts Hospital Industry Pummeled by COVID-19

March 26, 2021

(Medscape) – A new national survey of hospitals conducted last month paints a bleak picture of the ability to balance routine patient care against surges of COVID-19 patients, the extent of their staff shortages, and the potential impact of the pandemic on their financial stability. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) surveyed 320 hospitals in 45 states and the District of Columbia. The survey was conducted February 22-26. While the time frame reflects the situation that hospitals were in during the latest surge of COVID-19 disease, the responses of hospital administrators indicated that it would take some time for their institutions to recover from the ravages of the pandemic.