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.
| 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.
| 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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