Maui Memorial ‘extremely busy’ but patients may still seek care

Maui Memorial Medical Center currently has 30 COVID-positive patients, the second highest total in the pandemic, though a top hospital official emphasized Friday that the facility still has resources to care for the community.

"We are able to of course serve the needs of this community. We are prepared, so if you are sick please come to the hospital," said Dr. Michael Shea, chief medical director of Maui Health. "COVID patients are taken care of in separate units so you can feel reassured if you come in for care, you will be safe."

During Maui County's news conference Friday, Shea said that they "do have a high census at the hospital right now" and are "extremely busy."

He noted when cases climbed last year, intake of other types of patients declined as not as many folks were out and about in the community as compared to this year.

Shea's comments came as the state reported 1,167 new confirmed and probable cases on Friday. State officials say health care workers are being taxed and hospitals are filling up with patients.

Out of the 30 positive patients at Maui Memorial, 29 are unvaccinated, Shea said.

Maui Health, which operates Maui Memorial, said late Friday afternoon that four patients were in the intensive care unit and three of the four were on ventilators.

"We are seeing patients in their 20s, 30s, in the hospital, some of them on ventilators," Shea said at the news conference.

"And so when we talk to these patients and they come in very sick they ask, 'Can we get vaccinated now?' And unfortunately at that point, it's too late."

Shea said the hospital does have beds available and at the ICU "things are tight, but we are able to manage," so currently there is no interruption to other procedures such as surgeries.

He added that the hospital has 219 beds but can expand to 300 beds if needed.

In a statement Friday afternoon, Maui Health said the patient increase is "significant," as the hospital was only treating single-digit counts of COVID-19 patients in July. But the increase is to be expected with COVID cases on the rise.

Maui Health in collaboration with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii "will be welcoming several rapid response nurses and respiratory therapists" to assist with the COVID patients.

"This influx of clinicians will help support the caregiving efforts already in place and give our health care team the relief they need and deserve," the statement said.

The hospital asked people to be "part of the solution in ending this pandemic" by being vaccinated. It has also implemented a policy that will require all eligible employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1.

Josh Masslon, an ICU nurse at Maui Memorial, said in the statement that he understands that obtaining the vaccine is a personal choice. But as an ICU nurse taking care of COVID-19 patients and seeing the consequences of the virus, he said, "I chose the vaccine. The virus is causing many people to suffer, and I wanted to do everything I could to prevent that from happening to me and my family."

Visit mauihealth.org/covidvaccine or mauinuistrong.info for information.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.