Scripps delays some medical procedures due to COVID-19, staff shortages

Scripps Health announced Friday that due to significant health care workforce shortages and an increase in COVID-19 cases and non-COVID patient care, it will temporarily delay some medical procedures that can be safely postponed.

Scripps health officials said the "decisions on which procedures are delayed are being made by medical staff based on clinical factors and emergency, time-sensitive care will continue to be delivered."

Scripps said they are also evaluating temporarily consolidating some ambulatory sites due to the staffing shortage.

“The COVID pandemic has taken a serious toll on health care workers across the nation, and many have decided to leave the field entirely for reasons such as fatigue and burnout,” said Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “We’re doing all we can to fill open positions and shifts, but options are currently limited across the board in health care, so we’re doing what’s necessary to ensure we have staff available for our most urgent cases.”

Scripps said they are currently looking to fill 1,309 full-and part-time open positions, compared to 832 open positions in August 2019, before the pandemic emerged. Based just on registered nurses, Scripps currently has 433 full-and part-time open positions, compared to 220 openings in August 2019.