Questions still abound over pandemic, hospitals

On August 22, 2021, Dr. Kathryn Turner, Deputy State epidemiologist, is quoted as stating that “The surge is driving our projections upward to about 30,000 cases per week by mid-October” and “… it looks like it could be a very grim winter for us, at least a grim fall.” So far, not close.

In January 2021, the state dashboard provided a chart showing the hospital utilization rate, and the ICU availability rate, which at that time was holding steady at the pre-pandemic level.

Now, after a definition change in September, the level is substantially lower. A side note explains the number of beds as “open, staffed and available.” In August 2021, a Bee article explained that Idaho hospitals were experiencing staffing shortages. If staffing shortages are the reason for fewer ICU beds being in use, that should be explained.

Information provided by Johns Hopkins University shows that on Nov. 23, 2020, Idaho had

87,891 Total ICU beds and that there were 22,199 COVID ICU beds occupied with 42,334 non-COVID ICU beds occupied. On Nov. 22, 2021, Idaho had 80,711 total ICU beds (a reduction of 7,180 beds) and that there were 12,258 COVID ICU beds occupied (a reduction of 9,941 beds) with 48,272 non-COVID ICU beds occupied (an increase of 5,938 beds). Fewer staff, fewer COVID beds. Hmm. Is this a man-made crises? Why is insufficient information being provided?

Are we being “played” by the corporate medical community and our state leaders?

JEREMY CONLIN

Cocolalla

Editor's note: According to Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations data, hospital resource use is determined by a variety of medical-related factors, including staffing, available ICU beds, and intensity of care needed, among them.