Crisis standards activated for southern Idaho health systems

Idaho public health officials activated crisis standards of care for much of southern Idaho on Monday, citing major staffing and blood supply shortages.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare activated the crisis standards for the southwest, central and south central health districts, which encompass 18 counties including the Boise, Nampa and Twin Falls metro regions. Crisis standards of care allow hospitals to triage health care as needed when they don’t have the capacity to deal with patient influxes.

It marked the second time amid the pandemic that Idaho officials have authorized health care rationing. Northern Idaho was the first part of the state to be allowed to do so last September, with the rest of the state following suit 10 days later. The crisis standards were fully deactivated by December.

Idaho has been experiencing its largest coronavirus surge since the pandemic began, but exact numbers are difficult to determine because the state’s tracking system is struggling to keep up with the flood of new cases.