CMC AT BEYOND CAPACITY, PATIENTS ARE SEEKING OTHER FACILITIES

COVID-19 has put a tremendous strain on all hospitals and in the case of Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville – it’s virtually out of the question to seek treatment there at this time.

Currently, CMC is drastically understaffed to handle the vast numbers of patients needing care.  Under normal conditions when there were no COVID-19 spikes – CMC has been able to treat and care for patients in a timely manner.  But now, when COVID-19 cases are at an all-time high, coupled with the normal flow of other sicknesses or injuries – it is overwhelming to the hospital.  Many patients have either chosen to first seek another facility in East Tennessee for treatment or ultimately seek another hospital after long wait times…up to 17 hours in some cases – that is if IF there are any other facilities in the region able to take on more patients.  Many other East Tennessee hospitals are also at full capacity and cannot take on any more patients.  At CMC all ICU beds are full and all ‘staffed’ hospital beds are full.  We emphasize “staffed” hospital beds.  CMC is licensed for 189 beds, however, they currently have enough staff for only 73 beds according to the American Hospital Directory  As of September 15th, there are 55 total COVID-19 hospitalizations at CMC – 12 in ICU and 43 in regular hospital beds.  That only leaves 20 staffed beds for other non-COVID-19 patients and no available ICU beds. CMC, along with the rest of the entire U.S. medical community are ‘begging’ citizens to get vaccinated.  According to the latest CMC-Covenant report, NONE of the CMC ICU patients have been vaccinated and 88% of the patients in the rest of the hospital are unvaccinated.