2 healthcare leaders talk ICU capacity. (More media lies)

Beckers Hospital Review ^ | , August 6th, 2020 | Mackenzie Bean

[Hojczyk]

For most level 1 trauma centers and tertiary care facilities, operating intensive care units at 80 percent to 90 percent capacity is standard — even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But the intensity and duration of caring for severely ill patients during the pandemic have presented unique challenges for hospitals.

Becker's spoke with two healthcare leaders in Massachusetts and Florida about ICU capacity challenges, staffing best practices and more. Sound bites of the conversations are below.

Kelly Cullen, executive vice president and COO at Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital: "Tampa General has 146 ICU beds year-round. During normal, non-COVID-19 times, our ICU runs at about 92 percent occupancy since we are the only level 1 trauma center in the area. Very early on in our COVID-19 response, we converted two ICUs to negative-pressure rooms.

Kathryn Hibbert, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital

Normally the medical ICU runs very close to capacity, but there are other ICUs that usually have some beds open if we need to send them a spillover patient. During the COVID-19 surge, all of our ICUs were very full, and we were using surge ICUs. So it was both the intensity and the duration that were very atypical."

[freeandfreezing]

Is there a financial motive for utilization of ICU beds?

Yes. It is the same motivation a restaurant has for filling all of the tables, an airline has for filling all of the seats on a flight, and a hotel has for filling as many rooms as possible.

You have high fixed expenses in each case, and getting the maximum income for the already spent operating expenses is essential.

[HypatiaTaught]

Its not just the China bio weapon virus but many have that too which has been untreated which makes them more Sick and needing a ICU too .
_____________________________

Yes.

Walk right in folks to the most racist country that will pay for all your healthcare, All your rent, All your food and All your education.

Paid for by the American Tax Payers who are demonized on a daily basis.

I can’t help the continuous thought that runs through my mind-How about move to any country south of the boarder, become a citizen and then cross right back in to America as an illegal.

Then we get all the freebies... No good?

[ncalburt]

Act needy and you don't speak English and sign up as Rat because the Dems are recruiting down there and wear the right costume and hello
instead social security checks.

[Jeff Chandler]

a woman doctor

I remember the very first female MD I saw. She was a pediatrician, since I was 12 and my brother was 14, conducting a routine physical examination at Kaiser Permanente. She was young and cute, and my brother and I were delighted.

[TTFX]

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during the Covid scam, it’s that doctors are idiots, like everyone else.

---

They might apply a treatment developed by somebody else with precision. Sometimes the treatment is good and sometimes harmful. They’re more authoritarian than the average person. They don’t have good reasoning skills as most of their training and job is obeying and following protocol. That think they know a lot more than they do doesn’t help them.

[shanover]

EVERYTHING is COVID. We are back into the COVID full court press for political reasons. NONE of this has anything to do with protecting health and healthy outcomes. It is all bullsh*t.