Carmel, N.Y.-based Putnam Hospital, a Nuvance Health affiliate, will suspend services at its birthing center because its physician provider of labor and delivery services is leaving, the hospital's president, Mark Hirko, MD, confirmed in a statement shared with Becker's. 

Pennsylvania is opening four long-term care regional support sites to help relieve pressure on healthcare workers and hospitals amid an influx of COVID-19 patients, state officials said Jan. 31. 

As COVID-19 hospitalizations begin to level out nationally, at least five states have reported new records this week. 

For more than two weeks, Washington, D.C., has reported the highest average rate in the nation of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, according to federal data cited by The New York Times.

More than 26,000 people have signed a petition against the closure of Boston-based Tufts Children's Hospital in an effort to protect families and staff affected by the closure.

One person was shot and wounded in the emergency department of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in New York City on Jan. 25, according to NBC New York.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare activated crisis standards of care Jan. 24 for healthcare organizations in three local public health districts in the state's southern region.

Several hospitals reported plans to end inpatient care over the last few months:

Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Mass., will soon reopen cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation, which closed in August because of staffing challenges amid a nurses strike.

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to increase nationally, at least five states reported new records this week. 

With only 40 percent of rural hospitals in Texas offering labor and delivery services, "maternity deserts" across the state are growing as staff shortages shutter rural labor and delivery units, according to a Jan. 20 report from The Texas Tribune.

Boston-based Tufts Children's Hospital will close its 41-bed hospital because of a smaller demand in child care and a larger demand in adult care, The Boston Globe reported Jan. 20.

Amid the latest COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant, some Southern California hospitals are facing a bottleneck in their ability to move patients treated in the emergency room to a hospital bed, the Los Angeles Times reported Jan. 20.

New daily COVID-19 hospitalization rates in the U.S. have risen 42 percent over the last two weeks, with a daily average of 158,638 virus patients hospitalized, according to HHS data cited by The New York Times.

Heights Hospital in Houston, which closed a year ago, has been acquired and the new owners plan to reopen the facility, according to The Leader. 

Omicron and staffing constraints pushed hospitals and health systems to once again suspend nonurgent, elective procedures — a move that hurts patients and their care teams.

Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Richmond, Va., will close its pediatric and pediatric intensive care units effective April 1, according to a statement shared with Becker's. 

At least four hospitals or health systems have enacted crisis standards of care in the last week as staff shortages and rising COVID-19 patient volumes continue to strain capacity.

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Several healthcare organizations have closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages.