PHOENIX — Facing staffing shortages, the state's largest health system is diverting patients to other hospitals because it doesn't have enough staff to handle cases in its cardiac catheterization laboratory at its flagship Phoenix hospital.
Banner University Medical Center-Phoenix is not able to maintain consistent 24-hour cath lab capabilities due to the staff shortages, according to a memo hospital executives sent to staff.
The memo, that was obtained by the Business Journal, said the critical staffing situation means there will be times when the hospital won't have after-hours and weekend cath lab capability.
"During these times, we are diverting ambulance and transfer services patients and may have to transfer a patient out of the hospital for cardiac catheterization," according to the memo. "This situation is temporary, and we'll continue to do all we can to lift this interruption of services."
The staffing challenges in the hospital's cardiac cath lab are unrelated to Covid-19, said Rebecca Armendariz, spokeswoman for Banner Health.
Read more of this story from the Phoenix Business Journal.
