As hospitals across Missouri continue to face staffing challenges due to COVID-19, Governor Mike Parson announced a 12-week partnership with Vizient, the nation’s leading healthcare-performance improvement company, to bring in additional staff and further expand statewide hospital capacity.

In a news release, Governor Parson said, “Staffing continues to be one of the biggest challenges right now, and we are currently doing everything we can at the state level to assist. Other states like Arizona have worked with Vizient through the COVID-19 crisis, so we are hopeful that this will provide meaningful support for our hospitals and the people of Missouri.”

Through the partnership, Vizient will deploy up to 760 additional staff members through its contracted agencies to multiple, geographically-dispersed hospitals across the state, including registered nurses, respiratory therapists and certified nurse assistants. When fully deployed, the plan will add nearly 600 hospital beds to Missouri’s statewide bed capacity.

The state will fund the first phase of the project through the end of this year using CARES Act funding, and hospital partners will fund the remainder.