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Both Jefferson City hospitals have experienced rising admissions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic is going to stress the hospitals in several ways, officials said. But the hospitals are prepared.
Even as numbers rise for Capital Region Medical Center, the hospital is adjusting to create additional capacity in case it is needed, said Lindsay Huhman, CRMC director of marketing.
"Capital Region is seeing an uptick in hospital admissions due to COVID-19 and those admissions are putting a strain on our capacity," Huhman said.
Since the beginning of October, the number of COVID-19-positive patients (or those with pending tests) in the hospital has grown from eight to a high of 20. The high in September was 17.
Data on the hospital's website shows there were 17 COVID-19-positive patients in the hospital Wednesday.
Stephen Stewart, vice president of medical affairs for St. Mary's Hospital, said the COVID-19 positivity rate in Cole County is very high and climbing.
"The projections our SSM Health epidemiologists have supplied to us indicate that our present case load of about 20-25 COVID patients in the hospital at any given time will increase in the next few weeks to upwards of 35-40 inpatients any given day," Stewart said. "They also indicate the Intensive Care Unit demand for COVID-only patients will double."
That would take up enough capacity that St. Mary's Hospital would have to look at alternatives to admitting and caring for patients in spaces other than traditional ICU rooms, he said. And the hospital has the ability to expand ICU to other rooms.
"The main constraint will be staffing, which, nationwide, there is a shortage of critical care nurses and respiratory therapists," Stewart said.
Projections show demand will not exceed ventilator capacity, Stewart said.
He added there have been a few cases in which patients were transferred to St. Louis because their cases required services not available in Central Missouri.
CRMC's supply of respiratory intervention equipment remains adequate, Huhman said.
The work done by nurses, techs and support staff during the pandemic has been "inspirational," Huhman said.
"The physical and emotional toll of watching someone with COVID-19 suffer, away from their loved ones, is especially difficult for the patient care team," she said. "And they bear that burden on their shoulders and in their hearts."
CRMC has implemented a "premium pay program" for staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. It has also provided access to the employee assistance program and spiritual and mental health services within units.
Premium pay is additional pay for staff on COVID-19 units - and in other areas - who spend the majority of their time caring for COVID-19-positive patients and patients with tests pending, Huhman said.
The assistance program is done through the hospital's Center for Mental Wellness. It offers resources and guides for managing stress, counseling services and continuing support.
A chaplain-led team provides spiritual care and grief counseling for CRMC employees.
"We work to creatively support our staff with everything from spiritual support to mental health resources as well as free drinks and treats," Stewart said of St. Mary's Hospital. "We offer a Care for the Caregiver program where trained staff members offer support for their peers. We also recently added a quiet meditation room that staff can use to get away from their busy jobs and gather their thoughts, rest their minds and regain some focus."
"CRMC, along with other health organizations in the area, implore our community to do their part to slow the spread of the virus," Huhman said. "Avoid large gatherings, physically distance and wear a face covering or mask when physical distancing is not possible."