As COVID-19 surges continue to affect hospitals in the U.S., the Association of American Medical Colleges is calling on healthcare organizations to continue vaccination requirements for their employees.
Hospitals are again nearing or at capacity, and nonurgent surgeries are again being canceled in some areas of the country because of healthcare worker shortages and COVID-19 surges among unvaccinated individuals, AAMC Chief Health Care Officer Janis Orlowski, MD, said in a Dec. 15 statement.
This means it is more important now than ever that healthcare institutions continue to require vaccination, she said.
"We have heard from healthcare leaders at AAMC-member institutions that they support COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare personnel and that critical workforce shortages may be impacting the continued implementation of these mandates," Dr. Orlowski's statement reads. "However, the ethical commitment of all healthcare personnel to put patients first means that no patient should be placed at risk because caregivers and healthcare workers are not vaccinated. The health and well-being of our patients and staff must be paramount."
The statement comes as at least 17 healthcare organizations suspend COVID-19 vaccination requirements amid a temporary halt of the CMS mandate for healthcare workers. The CMS mandate requires vaccination for eligible staff at healthcare facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Hospitals and health systems are also reporting losing workers over mandates.