SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A northwest Iowa health system is changing its message following a statement referencing Sioux Falls hospitals being at full capacity.
On Friday, Orange City Health System posted a news release online saying, “Some of the more acute patients who would typically be transferred to larger hospitals (in Sioux Falls and Sioux City) are being cared for locally due to a full capacity in those hospitals.”
After our story aired on KELOLAND News and was posted online, we received an email from Lisa Burg, with Orange City Area Health System Public Relations. She claimed the news release was misinterpreted.
If you go to the website as of Monday afternoon, the news release is updated. It now says, “Some more acute patients who would typically be transferred to larger hospitals (In Sioux Falls and Sioux City) are being cared for locally due to increased demand.”
It goes on to say, “Sioux Falls-area hospitals have assured Sioux County health systems that they continue to accept critical COVID-19 patients, and it is well within their ability to do so.”
We reached out to Burg for further clarification. She says different hospitals use different language, and she wants patients to know they will get the care that they need.
Sioux Falls hospitals are, indeed, accepting transfers from our facility of critical patients that require a level of care that we cannot provide. For example, needing ventilator assist. SOME covid patients that we may have transferred “typically” — we are now caring for in our hospital. We have added additional negative pressure rooms, are able to administer therapeutics, and other measures we feel confident about in caring for these patients.
Lisa Burg, Orange City Area Health System Marketing, Public Relations, and Community Education
