Stephen Parodi, MD, discusses hospital staffing shortages amid COVID-19 surge

In a recent NPR interview, Stephen Parodi, MD, shared insights about how Kaiser Permanente is addressing staffing shortages amid a surge of COVID-19 patients.

The report notes that in large parts of California, hospitals are scrambling to bolster staffing as intensive care units fill up with COVID-19 patients. In the past 2 weeks, Kaiser Permanente has seen hospitalization rates rise nearly 40%, according to Dr. Parodi, executive vice president of The Permanente Federation and associate executive director of The Permanente Medical Group.

“We’re actually taking all the different hands we have on deck and moving them to where they’re needed most, which is, right now, our hospitals and emergency departments,” said Dr. Parodi, who also serves as national infectious disease leader for Kaiser Permanente.

NPR also notes that California is requesting federal help and seeking medical staff from overseas.

To hear and read the entire report, visit the NPR website.