The health system told KETV Newswatch 7 that is exactly what their recently enacted crisis standards of care do
The health system told KETV Newswatch 7 that is exactly what their recently enacted crisis standards of care do
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The health system told KETV Newswatch 7 that is exactly what their recently enacted crisis standards of care do
Gov. Pete Ricketts ordered a halt on elective surgeries at the Nebraska Medical Center.

In a Friday news release, Ricketts stated:
“Today’s DHM makes sure the Nebraska Medical Center remains focused on prioritizing care for patients with the most urgent medical needs.”
But a representative with Nebraska Medicine told KETV Newswatch 7 that is exactly what their crisis standards of care do:
“The actions we are taking ensure we are prioritizing care for patients with the most urgent medical needs. As outlined in the directed health measure, our medical providers will continue to make case-by-case determinations on surgeries and procedures that must be done to preserve the patient’s life or physical health.
Our crisis plan is grounded in our core values that include our commitment to safety, transparency, equity and fairness and gives all patients access to the full spectrum of care. Current operations are consistent with the directed health measure, so any necessary care will not be delayed. Patients should continue to access care as they’ve planned unless they hear from their physician.”
So, KETV Newswatch 7 crews asked Ricketts, why go so far as to add this measure?
“I think the question is, it really gets back to their staffing needs and really making sure they’re freed up they’ve got the capacity for folks that are coming in there versus some of the things that are more elective in nature,” Ricketts said.
State senator and gubernatorial candidate Carol Blood said while Ricketts has the power to create mandates for hospitals, she believes he’s targeting the medical center.
“He does have the ability to do it under state statute, but this is one of the things he continually says he’s against,” Blood said. “He just did it to the Nebraska Medical Center.”
But Ricketts said other hospitals could face similar measures.
“So if there’s other health systems that also feel like they have to into crisis standards of care, yes you can expect that we would be looking at directed health measures to limit what they were doing with regards to elective surgeries and their staffing,” Ricketts said.
Blood said she received a flood of calls and emails on the directed health measure. She worries the decision could impact other rural patients around the state who seek care from Nebraska Medicine.
“The governor has little concern, at least in the past when it came to directed health measures for Nebraskans,” Blood said. “Yet when Nebraska Medicine steps up to the plate to protect its patients and its staff, I personally think the optics look bad for the governor.”

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