Gov. Holcombs Details COVID-19 Surge Plan, Calls On All Doctors

“We see a surge coming and we’re calling in the reinforcements, bolstering Indiana’s capacity to provide additional health care services during this emergency."

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Yesterday, Indiana Governor Holcomb signed an executive order and detailed the state's plan for the anticipated spike in coronavirus cases. 

“We see a surge coming and we’re calling in the reinforcements, bolstering Indiana’s capacity to provide additional health care services during this emergency,” said Gov. Eric J. Holcomb. “By eliminating licensing barriers and tapping in to the available talent pool of healthcare workers, Hoosiers are staffing up and stepping up to meet this challenge head-on.”

This executive order will allow the following professionals who do not currently hold an active license to practice:

• medical professionals who retired or became inactive in the last five years
• medical professionals who hold licenses in other states
• medical professionals who held licenses in other states and retired or became inactive in the last five years
• certain medical students and graduates

These professionals are required to register with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, which will allow them to assist in screenings, telemedicine and other basic procedures to allow regularly licensed medical professionals to be on the frontline during the pandemic.

Hospital Beds

In Indiana, the baseline number of critical care hospital beds is 1,432. As of Monday, hospitals have already taken steps to increase the number of critical care hospital beds to 1,940. Overall, the state’s plan is to double the number, if needed, by taking existing noncritical care hospital beds, recovery rooms, operating rooms and outpatient facilities, turning them into critical care hospital beds.

Ventilators

In Indiana, the baseline number of ventilators is 1,177 ventilators. As of Monday, hospitals have identified another 750 ventilators that can be used for critical care patients. Overall, the state’s plan is to double the number, if needed, by repurposing ventilators from operating rooms, ambulatory care centers, EMS and the Indiana National Guard.

Additionally, this COVID-19 surge plan calls for moving less critical patients to alternate facilities.

Indiana will be prepared to put patients in alternative facilities if needed. The Indiana National Guard and Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with FEMA, are in charge of these plans.

Officials have been working on updating COVID-19 plans since January. 

Since this is a constantly changing situation, planning becomes more specific state health and hospital officials as models of the expected impact becomes available. Based on these models, the state's patient surge is projected to begin soon with the peak expected in mid-April to mid-May. 

Each hospital has a disaster plan in place. 

For more information, visit the ISDH website at coronavirus.in.gov and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.