New York state is tapping former physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to step in amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said March 12 the state is taking steps to create a reserve healthcare workforce if a staffing shortage occurs and to identify facilities that can be used as temporary hospitals.
Those efforts include asking former physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals to touch base with former employers and offer to work on-call in instances of a staffing shortage. The governor said the state health department would accelerate recertification for former physicians and nurses, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The governor said the state is also identifying National Guard medics for reserved staffing and working with medical schools to identify potential reserve healthcare workers.
In addition to staffing-related issues, the governor has also said New York hospitals may need to halt elective surgeries to prevent overwhelming the state's healthcare system, according to the Journal.
As of March 12, Mr. Cuomo had confirmed 325 cases of the novel coronavirus statewide.
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