Statewide Iowa — As the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations continues rising in Iowa, the CEO of the state’s largest hospital says he’s dealing with staffing shortages and burnout.
Suresh Gunasekaran who heads the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, says the staff is straining with the jump in both COVID and non-COVID patients. He says it’s a statewide trend.
Gunasekaran says the pandemic has taken a significant toll on health care workers at the Iowa City facility and elsewhere, leading to a higher-than-average number leaving the workforce in the past year.
State health officials reported Thursday that 638 Iowans were hospitalized with the virus in the past week. That’s up ten-percent from last week and is the highest number this year.
