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One place where the addition of the team is being felt is in the emergency department, where wait times for patients have been reduced.

A United States Army medical team is bringing relief to Rhode Island Hospital. "We've run somewhere between 25 to 35 percent staff shortages," said Dr. Saul Weingart, president of Rhode Island Hospital. Between the vaccine mandate last fall, nurse burnout, staff falling ill, and a major surge in patients, it's been a sort of code red. "We've seen an 800 percent increase compared to early November," added Weingart. As a result, they're doing far fewer surgeries.

The 23-person team of mainly Army personnel began their assignment on Saturday. The contingent includes three doctors, more than a dozen nurses and a pair of respiratory technicians.

Rhode Island Hospital is expecting help from a military medical team as part of a federal effort to help mitigate staffing crunches at hospitals.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island Hospital is expecting help from a military medical team as part of a federal effort to help mitigate staffing crunches at hospitals. Lifespan, the health system that includes Rhode Island Hospital, said Friday that the team of about 20 doctors and nurses is expected to arrive next week and stay for roughly a month.