An Analysis of Hospital Capacity and Available Data during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction One of the major concerns throughout the COVID-19 pandemic was whether health facilities had sufficient capacity to meet demands for care. Many states used healthcare capacity metrics to make decisions about the implementation of population-based disease mitigation measures. Methods Using facility-level data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to examine hospital capacity and bed availability over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we calculated inpatient occupancy rates for hospitalizations of all-causes and COVID-19 and compared them across states, counties and on the national level. Results We found that in the aggregate, the national supply of staffed inpatient beds remained relatively constant during the pandemic despite the repeated stress of multiple COVID-19 waves. However, there was substantial heterogeneity among states and counties. Nationally, there was little association between the total availability of staffed hospital beds and reported COVID-19 cases. Conclusion Understanding how hospital capacity responds to pandemic waves is essential for future pandemic preparedness. Improved data systems, clearer staffed bed definitions and strategic capacity management are essential to ensure health systems can handle other health threats.