As of earlier this month, about 80% of staff were vaccinated, Hunter said. She said vaccination rates among staff are going up. She said there are two important goals: get as many staff as possible vaccinated to protect them and patients, and also to keep the healthcare system functioning and serving as many people as possible. Sauer said association members have felt the tension between implementing the mandate and seeing that potential staffing losses could lead to cuts to services. She said some services may potentially be closed, or longer wait times for people seeking non-emergent procedures may be seen. “There’s going to be caps on admissions at some rural hospitals,” Sauer said.
Hospital leaders say staff losses are likely to be greatest in rural areas on the east side of the state, and state hospital association leader Cassie Sauer said personnel shortages will lead to curtailed services.
It’s impactful for them, it’s impactful for their colleagues,” Dellit said. However, roughly 220 staff were expected to leave their positions by the end of Monday due to the mandate, according to UW Medicine chief medical officer Dr. UW Medicine medical staff were 99% vaccinated, as of Monday.
