ICU capacity hits 102% at Utah Intermountain facilities
Aug 13, 2021, 9:38 AM | Updated: 9:47 am
Healthcare workers care for a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. (Intermountain Healthcare)
(Intermountain Healthcare)
SALT LAKE CITY — Intermountain Healthcare is reporting that their ICU capacity in Utah hospitals hit 102% and their acute care units are at 100%.
On Friday, Intermountain said they are reviewing all their options to make sure that all of their patients can continue to get proper care with the increase in admissions.
On Thursday the Utah Department of Health reported 388 patients currently hospitalized for COVID-19, with 151 of them in the ICU. Utah has 529 total ICU beds available across the state; 429 of them are currently filled (81.1%). In the state’s referral centers, which are more equipped to deal with serious COVID-19 patients, 380 of the 453 beds are occupied (83.9%).
Utah ICU capacity stretched
“As of yesterday, our trauma covid hospitals were at 102% capacity in the ICU, and that’s staffed beds. Those are available beds staffed by clinicians, nurses, physicians, advanced practice practitioners et cetera, and we’re at 102% capacity,” Intermountain Healthcare Infectious Diseases Physician Dr. Eddie Stenehjem said on Friday.
“Our floors and acute medical-surgical floors are not far behind at above 98% capacity, so we’re full. Completely full,” he continued.
“This is not a place we want to be, 100% capacity is not where you want to run a hospital. That means that all the beds are full in the ICU which means when you get a trauma patient, when you get a heart attack patient, a stroke patient, that needs an ICU bed, you’ve got to find a bed.
“It is a position that is extremely taxing on our caregivers, both in the ICU and the med-surg side, because what ends up happening is that you end up taking care of sicker patients than you should be on a general medical care floor,” Stenehjem continued.
You can watch the full Intermountain news conference below.
This story will be updated.
Read more:
- Nurses help plan wedding in ICU for a Utah woman
- Dr. Andy Pavia: Sending kids to school without masks would be a “terrible mistake.”
- Brigham City woman might die of COVID-19 before meeting her newborn
How To Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus
COVID-19 coronavirus spreads person to person, similar to the common cold and the flu. According to the experts, to prevent it from spreading:
- Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
- Don’t touch your face.
- When you can’t social distance, wear a mask to protect yourself and others per CDC recommendations.
- Keep children and those with compromised immune systems away from someone who is coughing or sneezing (in this instance, at least six feet).
- In the event of an outbreak near you, practice social distancing (stay at home, instead of going to the movies, sports events, or other activities).
- Obtain a flu shot.
- Seek out the COVID-19 vaccine.
Local resources
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
National Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization
