Logan Reid
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital capacity in Florida became a pressing issue. In July 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended the state's hospital and intensive care unit capacity, stating that recent criticism had been inaccurate and that the state had sufficient ICU capacity. However, data from the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration showed that hospital intensive care units in 48 to 56 hospitals across Florida had reached full capacity. In April 2021, Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals reported an available capacity of 1,626 beds or 41 percent. Florida has a strong foundation of emergency preparedness, and the state works closely with hospitals to ensure resources and equipment are available during public health emergencies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | April 21, 2021 |
| Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals capacity | 1,626 beds or 41% |
| Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals capacity (by county) | Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties: larger hospitals; Baker, Nassau, and Putnam counties: smaller, rural hospitals |
| Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals capacity (by hospital) | Putnam Community Medical Center: 15 beds; UF Health Jacksonville: 228 beds; Flagler Hospital: 23 beds; Baptist Medical Center-Nassau: 32 beds |
| Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration ICU capacity (as of July 10, 2020) | 48 hospitals at full capacity |
| Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration ICU capacity (as of July 22, 2020) | 56 hospitals at full capacity |
| Florida Agency for Health Care Administration ICU capacity (as of July 15, 2020) | 54 hospitals with adult ICUs at full capacity |
| Florida statewide hospital bed availability (as of July 15, 2020) | 24% of beds empty (over 14,000 beds) |
| Florida statewide ICU bed availability (as of July 15, 2020) | 20% of beds empty (over 1,000 beds) |
| Miami-Dade hospital bed availability (as of July 21, 2020) | 18% of beds available (about 1,500 beds) |
| Miami-Dade ICU bed availability (as of July 21, 2020) | 15% of beds available |
| Palm Beach hospital bed availability (as of July 21, 2020) | 30% of beds available |
| Palm Beach ICU bed availability (as of July 21, 2020) | 25% of beds available |
| UF Health projected coronavirus-related demand (as of April 21, 2021) | Two months of high patient admissions, peaking in early May, with 2-4 times the usual demand for emergency room, ICU, and inpatient hospitalization |
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What You'll Learn
ICU capacity
Florida's hospital intensive care units have been overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, almost 85% of the state's ICU beds were occupied, with just 933 ICU beds available across the state. At that time, at least 52 hospitals in the state had no ICU capacity left at all, and 54 hospitals with adult intensive care units were at full capacity.
In July 2021, the situation worsened, with Florida ICUs reaching 200% capacity. Ascension St. Vincent's Southside Hospital in Jacksonville had an ICU occupancy rate of 154%.
The situation improved somewhat by November 2022, when 43 hospitals in Florida had zero beds available in the intensive care unit. However, the number of hospitalizations was increasing, and ICU beds were filling up.
The varying ICU capacity across Florida has been influenced by several factors. Firstly, the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has fluctuated over time, impacting bed occupancy. Secondly, hospitals typically aim to run ICUs at 88-90% full, and they can expand capacity if needed. Thirdly, the availability of healthcare workers has been a concern, with staffing shortages due to infections and seasonal reductions affecting ICU capacity.
The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, has defended the state's ICU capacity, emphasizing that the census showed a significant number of empty hospital and ICU beds. He also highlighted the ability of hospitals to expand their ICU capacity system-wide if necessary and the existence of COVID-only nursing facilities.
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Bed availability
During the pandemic, Florida hospitals have experienced high patient admissions, with a strain on ICU beds in particular. In July 2020, it was reported that 56 hospitals had reached ICU capacity, with 0% adult bed availability in their ICUs. At that time, statewide, only about 15.7% of adult ICU beds were available.
However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has defended the state's hospital and ICU capacity, stating that the criticism has been inaccurate. He has pointed to the fact that hospitals typically want to run ICUs at 88-90% full and that there is the ability to expand capacity if needed. For example, in Miami-Dade, almost 18% of all hospital beds were available, and they had 15% ICU bed availability. Similarly, Palm Beach had 30% of beds available, with 25% of ICU beds available.
According to the Agency for Health Care Administration, Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals have a capacity of 1,626 beds, or 41% availability. This includes larger hospitals in Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties, as well as smaller, rural hospitals in Baker, Nassau, and Putnam counties. Individual hospitals vary in their bed availability, with UF Health Jacksonville having 228 beds available, while Putnam Community Medical Center has 15.
Overall, Florida's hospital bed availability is dynamic and constantly changing. The state is taking proactive steps to equip and resource hospitals, with a strong partnership between the government and healthcare facilities to ensure the safety of Floridians.
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Rural hospitals
Florida has been tracking its hospital capacity with an online data dashboard, which provides real-time data on bed availability at the county and hospital levels, including intensive care units and behavioural-care hospitals. This data is critical for anticipating individual hospital needs and monitoring bed availability across the state.
According to the dashboard, Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals had 1,626 beds available, or 41% capacity. This includes larger hospitals in Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties, and smaller, rural hospitals in Baker, Nassau, and Putnam counties. The number of beds available at individual rural hospitals varies, with Putnam Community Medical Center offering 15 beds and UF Health Jacksonville offering 228. Flagler Hospital in St. Johns County has 23 beds available, while Baptist Medical Center-Nassau has 32.
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and Florida Center for Health Information and Transparency receive data from healthcare facilities, which is then made public. This includes information on healthcare-associated infections (HAI) collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) via the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). The CDC also provides data on readmission rates and patient experiences through the HCAHPS Summary Rating.
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Hospital admissions
During the COVID-19 surge in Florida, hospital intensive care units (ICUs) in 48 hospitals reached full capacity as of July 10, 2020, according to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration. By July 22, this number had increased to 56 hospitals. These hospitals were spread across 27 counties, and it was reported that only 15.7% of adult ICU beds were available statewide.
However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended the state's hospital and ICU capacity during this time. He stated that the overall census of hospitals was "relatively stable" and that there were empty beds available across the state. For instance, in Miami-Dade, approximately 18% of all hospital beds, or about 1,500 beds, were available, along with 15% of ICU beds. DeSantis also emphasized that hospitals typically aim to operate ICUs at 88 to 90% capacity and can expand their capacity if needed.
To address the challenges posed by the pandemic, Florida introduced an online data dashboard in April 2021. This dashboard provided real-time data on bed availability at the county and hospital levels, including intensive care units and behavioral care hospitals. For instance, Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals had an available capacity of 1,626 beds, or 41%, at that time. This data was intended to aid in state and local planning and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and provide visibility into hospital capacity.
The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the importance of proactive measures and collaboration between government and healthcare facilities to ensure sufficient hospital capacity. Doctors at UF Health projected two months of high patient admissions during the pandemic, anticipating a peak in early May that could quadruple the usual demand for emergency rooms, ICUs, and inpatient hospitalizations.
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COVID-19 hospitalizations
Florida has been tracking its hospital capacity with an online data dashboard since April 2021. The dashboard provides \"real-time\" data on bed availability at the county and hospital levels, including intensive care units and behavioural-care hospitals. This data is used in state and local planning and response to the coronavirus pandemic.
During the week ending on January 4, 2023, Florida reported 2,893 new COVID-19 hospitalizations, an increase of 17% compared to the previous week. This is far below the number of admissions at the same time last year when the Omicron variant hit. In January 2022, the state logged 11,130 new virus hospitalizations, a 105% jump from the week before.
The XBB.1.5 subvariant, which is highly transmissible, is expected to peak in February and cause a spike in hospitalizations. However, it is not expected to break records like the Delta variant did in the summer of 2021. Hospitalizations among Floridians aged 70 and older are also increasing, with an average of 292 hospitalizations per day during the week ending on January 4, 2023, a 42% increase from the previous week.
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Frequently asked questions
As of April 2021, Northeast Florida general healthcare hospitals have a capacity of 1,626 beds or 41%. This includes larger hospitals in Clay, Duval, and St. Johns counties, and smaller, rural hospitals in Baker, Nassau, and Putnam counties.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida hospitals faced fluctuating challenges with capacity. As of July 2020, 56 hospitals reported that their ICUs were at full capacity. However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended the state's capacity, stating that 24% of hospital beds and 20% of ICU beds were empty. He also emphasized the ability of hospitals to expand ICU capacity if needed.
The Agency for Health Care Administration in Florida introduced an online data dashboard to monitor hospital capacity. This "real-time" data provides information on bed availability at the county and hospital levels, including intensive care units and behavioral care hospitals. This data is used for state and local planning and response during public health emergencies.
