COLUMBUS, Ohio — Despite improvements throughout early September and recent decreases in COVID-19 cases, health care workers are still struggling to keep hospital beds open.
Eye on Ohio reported 830 available Med/Surg (regular) beds across the state on Oct. 1, which is 363 less than what was reported seven days prior.
Capacity within intensive care units is also slim.
According to Lucia Walinchus, executive director for Eye on Ohio, the number of available ICU beds for the week of Sept. 26 slid between 477 and a new lowest low of 184 on Oct. 1.
Walinchus discussed one of the challenges health care workers are dealing with. She said Summa Health in Akron is one of the hospital systems forced to make difficult decisions.
"We're looking at places. Summa [Health], released that in the past week they are reducing their beds by over 20%. They just have too many staffing shortages and burnout there," she said.
According to Eye on Ohio, COVID-19 infections account for 19% of all ICU admissions.
Eye on Ohio fought the state for access to the number of available hospital beds and other equipment related to COVID-19. The organization filed a lawsuit in the Court of Claims of Ohio to obtain the requested information.
In Nov. 2020, Judge Patrick M. McGrath ruled the Ohio Department of Health must provide that data.
Click here to view the latest data from Eye on Ohio.
Eye on Ohio: Ohio Center for Journalism has tracked the number of available Med/Surg [regular] hospital beds as well as the number of beds within intensive care units throughout Ohio since the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.