hospitals

For more than a year, people couldn't sit with loved ones as they died in hospitals. Those lonely deaths took a toll on families. Now some doctors are questioning whether the rules were too strict.

Six challenges have been filed alleging that health systems could get shut out of the market and quality of care could be harmed.

Those hospitals, which include several in Florida and some of the nation’s marquee medical centers, will lose 1% of their Medicare payments over 12 months.

The new ICU is part of the hospital’s $347 million expansion. Later this year, Lee Health plans to bring over its trauma center from Lee Memorial.

The hospital system is reviewing elective surgeries requiring an ICU stay after the procedure. "We want to make sure we have our bed availability for our sickest patients,” a spokesman says.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said his decision to buck original federal guidelines ultimately proved correct, although concerns remain from hospital officials around the state about the vaccine supply.

While bed shortages have happened in pockets throughout the country since the spring, the pressure on hospitals is widespread now — reaching into urban and rural communities at an alarming pace.

Hospitals need more staff at bedsides and to distribute vaccines and community partners to help, says Florida Hospital Association president and CEO Mary Mayhew.

In this interview, Dr. Michael Koren of the Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research discusses the latest vaccine news as the FDA prepares to give emergency use authorization.

Tampa General Hospital is expected to begin distributing the first Pfizer vaccine doses early next week. The first shipments are expected by Dec. 15.