News File Photo The emergency room at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena is seen in this December 2021 News archive photo.

ALPENA — MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena continues to accept new patients, despite high occupancy rates, hospital President Chuck Sherwin said in an email to The News.

The hospital hit 100% occupancy last week, according to the state’s weekly patient census. That’s the second time that’s happened since Feb. 7.

The hospital has averaged 83% occupancy so far this year.

The hospital was 65% full as of Monday, according to the latest state data. It had only two COVID-19 patients, neither of them in intensive care.

Despite the high occupancy rates, “We (have) been and will continue to accept new patients,” Sherwin said in the email to The News.

When someone visits the emergency room, “normally we have beds available for patients,” Sherwin said. “If none are available then we would look to transfer to another facility or hold the patient until a bed becomes available. It depends on the critical nature of the (patient’s) care and the wishes of the patient.”

The Alpena hospital’s 65% occupancy this week is middling among the state’s 131 hospitals.

As of Monday, Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw posted 105% occupancy, the most in the state. Officials at that hospital could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Another three Michigan hospitals posted 100% occupancy, and another 14 posted at least 90% occupancy.

Hospitals across the country, battered by two years of the coronavirus pandemic, have faced staff shortages and large volumes of patients. Even as coronavirus infections have waned in recent weeks, hospitals have seen many patients with other ailments sometimes made worse because patients delayed care during the pandemic.

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