ICUs Pushed Beyond Capacity At Texas Medical Center, World’s Largest Medical Center

Topline

Regular ICU space has run out at Texas Medical Center hospitals in Houston, leading to surge capacity measures now being put in place as Texas grapples with a record surge in Covid-19.

Key Facts

1,387 total ICU beds are occupied at Texas Medical Center facilities, which is more than 104% of TMC’s regular capacity of 1,330 beds.

TMC is now in “Phase 2” of its intensive care surge, which can convert up to 373 regular hospital beds into available ICU space.

There are currently 9,053 Covid patients hospitalized in Texas, according to the state, which is still short of the height of the July surge when more than 10,000 were hospitalized in Texas for about two weeks.

Texas has recently set records for new coronavirus cases, and has topped 10,000 new cases in a single day seven times this month.

Surprising Fact

TMC is the largest medical center in the world, and regularly sees 10 million patients every year.

What To Watch For

ICU space is running out in cities all around the country, including other regions in Texas. The state’s Trauma Service Area D, which covers a population of over 300,000 in the north-central part of the state, is reporting 0 available ICU beds. Region M, which covers a population of almost 350,000 between Dallas and Austin, is reporting one available ICU bed.

Key Background

The coronavirus pandemic just continues to reach staggering new heights in the United States. A record 3,124 Covid-19 deaths were reported Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University, with the country as a whole now averaging more than 200,000 new cases every day. Hospitalizations also reached a record high Wednesday, according to The COVID Tracking Project, at 106,671. 

What We Don’t Know

Distribution of a vaccine appears imminent in the U.S., but is pending emergency approval from the FDA. It’s unclear at this point when that will begin to lessen the strain on the American health care system.

Further Reading

The Texas Medical Center: Houston’s Medical Mini-City (Forbes)

Here’s Where You Can No Longer Get An ICU Bed Because Of Covid (Forbes)

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