Springfield Hospitals Begin Denying Transfers From Rural Hospitals

The number of COVID 19 patients in Springfield is causing trouble for our regional hospitals.

CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards tells KY 3 TV they’re overloaded because of a special rule called a “Forced Open.”

That includes transfers from Lake Regional.

Officials say rural hospitals like the Lake Area care facilities, are having to either handle the situation in house, or send patients to a hospital that can handle it in Kansas City, St. Louis or even another state.

Similar situations are beginning to occur in Columbia and Jefferson City as well.