Hospital capacity has improved significantly since the beginning of 2022. In January, 78% of ICU beds were being used and 29% of hospitals were dealing with critical staffing shortages. As of April 5, 69% of ICU beds are in use and 19% of hospitals face staffing shortages. The improvement in hospital capacity directly corresponds with a decline in COVID-19 cases.

Key takeaways:

  • Rhode Island, Texas and New Mexico have the highest number of ICU beds in use.
  • More than 40% of hospitals in West Virginia, Tennessee and Vermont have critical staffing shortages.
  • North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota have had the largest drops in ICU bed use.
  • Colorado, Iowa and Mississippi have had the largest decreases in staffing shortages.

Northern states have experienced the greatest improvement in hospital capacity. ICU bed use in Wisconsin, the Dakotas and Minnesota has declined by as much as 60%, while staffing shortages in Colorado and Iowa have dropped by nearly 40 percentage points.

Despite a nationwide improvement in hospital capacity, some states are still struggling. More than 80% of ICU beds in Rhode Island, Texas and New Mexico are being used. And nearly 50% of hospitals in Vermont are facing critical staffing shortages.

Changes in Hospital Capacity
State ICU bed use — January ICU bed use — April % change in ICU capacity Hospitals with a staffing shortage — April
Alabama 89% 80% 12% 36%
Alaska 78% 79% -1% 21%
Arizona 78% 65% 20% 8%
Arkansas 85% 73% 16% 18%
California 77% 69% 11% 32%
Colorado 74% 63% 18% 2%
Connecticut 77% 62% 24% 4%
Delaware 85% 76% 11% 30%
Florida 81% 73% 11% 20%
Georgia 86% 73% 18% 29%
Hawaii 67% 61% 9% 15%
Idaho 79% 71% 12% 8%
Illinois 78% 62% 27% 11%
Indiana 89% 70% 27% 12%
Iowa 83% 67% 24% 3%
Kansas 81% 70% 17% 22%
Kentucky 91% 78% 17% 24%
Louisiana 83% 72% 15% 20%
Maine 75% 68% 10% 5%
Maryland 79% 64% 24% 17%
Massachusetts 86% 75% 15% 23%
Michigan 83% 71% 17% 22%
Minnesota 81% 63% 28% 20%
Missouri 86% 71% 20% 29%
Mississippi 88% 78% 13% 13%
Montana 60% 55% 10% 12%
Nebraska 84% 69% 21% 23%
Nevada 86% 75% 14% 9%
New Hampshire 86% 71% 21% 30%
New Jersey 53% 42% 27% 15%
New Mexico 90% 82% 10% 39%
New York 77% 70% 10% 5%
North Carolina 83% 76% 9% 8%
North Dakota 72% 45% 59% 29%
Ohio 84% 67% 25% 7%
Oklahoma 85% 78% 10% 28%
Oregon 75% 73% 2% 9%
Pennsylvania 86% 77% 12% 16%
Rhode Island 96% 86% 12% 36%
South Carolina 79% 66% 19% 30%
South Dakota 69% 54% 28% 6%
Tennessee 75% 71% 6% 42%
Texas 91% 83% 10% 12%
Utah 77% 72% 7% 5%
Vermont 82% 74% 10% 50%
Virginia 79% 63% 25% 22%
Washington 80% 77% 4% 10%
West Virginia 81% 78% 4% 42%
Wisconsin 83% 65% 27% 15%
Wyoming 34% 34% 0% 21%

Ranking state hospital capacity

To evaluate health care capacity, we analyzed Health and Human Services (HHS) and Kaiser Family Foundation data looking at IUC beds and physicians per 1,000 people in each state. We took a composite ranking score to determine hospital capacity in each state. States with the highest rankings are considered least prepared for hospital capacity. We also compared HHS data for estimated ICU beds in use. This capacity figure is intended to show the total current capacity of ICU beds as of March 30.

States that are least prepared for hospital capacity
Rank State ICU beds per 1,000 people Physicians per 1,000 people % of ICU utilized
1 Texas 2.07 2.23 83%
2 Utah 1.54 2.11 72%
3 Alaska 1.61 2.6 79%
4 New Mexico 1.5 2.78 82%
5 Georgia 1.59 2.38 73%
6 Washington 1.23 2.89 77%
7 Oklahoma 2.25 2.39 78%
8 Idaho 2.02 1.69 71%
9 Nevada 2.37 2.0 75%
10 North Carolina 1.92 2.71 76%
11 Oregon 1.5 2.88 73%
12 Arizona 1.48 2.45 65%
13 Vermont 0.98 3.75 74%
14 Rhode Island 1.6 4.71 86%
15 South Carolina 1.77 2.5 66%
16 Hawaii 1.23 2.58 61%
17 Alabama 2.87 2.49 80%
18 California 1.54 2.86 69%
19 Missouri 2.47 2.22 71%
20 Arkansas 2.57 2.37 73%
21 Colorado 1.67 2.52 63%
22 Kentucky 2.71 2.67 78%
23 Pennsylvania 2.01 3.99 77%
24 Delaware 2.21 3.23 76%
25 Indiana 2.39 2.5 70%
26 Virginia 1.8 2.73 63%
27 New Hampshire 2.15 3.12 71%
28 South Dakota 2.26 2.31 54%
29 Tennessee 2.33 2.78 71%
30 Florida 3.65 2.63 73%
31 Mississippi 2.8 3.3 78%
32 Montana 2.53 2.18 55%
33 Wisconsin 2.08 3.04 65%
34 Kansas 2.46 2.72 70%
35 Minnesota 1.96 3.22 63%
36 West Virginia 3.17 3.17 78%
37 Wyoming 2.61 2.03 34%
38 Maine 2.1 3.51 68%
39 Massachusetts 2.34 5.25 75%
40 Maryland 1.69 4.08 64%
41 Iowa 2.55 2.7 67%
42 Nebraska 2.44 2.91 69%
43 Michigan 2.29 3.89 71%
44 Louisiana 2.81 2.97 72%
45 New Jersey 2.05 3.43 42%
46 Illinois 2.23 3.42 62%
47 New York 2.35 4.6 70%
48 Ohio 2.39 3.63 67%
49 North Dakota 2.7 2.64 45%
50 Connecticut 2.27 4.38 62%

Methodology

To calculate the number of available ICU beds in each state, we used data from the United States Department of Health and Human Services compiled starting on March 30.

Data on the number of ICU beds and physicians per capita was compiled using information from the Kaiser Family Foundation and HHS. To calculate the least prepared states for hospital capacity, we generated an aggregate score based on the number of available ICU beds, physicians per capita and current hospital capacity.

References:

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