A new study conducted by researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health has revealed critical insights into how ICU capacity influenced patient mortality during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado. A major public health objective during the pandemic was to "flatten the curve" to prevent overwhelming hospital and ICU capacities, which would have led to deteriorated standards of care and high mortality rates. While Colorado successfully avoided such a crisis, this study delves into the subtler effects of high ICU occupancy on patient outcomes.
The research, which was published in BMJ Open , spanned from August 2020 to March 2022, and tracked patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) with COVID-19 across 34 hospital systems with large ICUs in Colorado. By examining ICU occupancy levels during patients' stays, the study aimed to determine whether higher patient loads contributed to increased mortality rates among COVID-19 patients. Utilizing a robust modeling approach that accounted for patient age, sex, and vaccination status , the study uncovered significant findings: "Our study highlights that the stress experienced by ICUs operating at high capacity, even if not completely full, can significantly affect patient outcomes ," said Elizabeth Carlton, Professor at the Colorado School of Public Health.
"This underscores the critical need for tools to anticipate surges and effective resource management in health care systems, particularly during pandemics." T.
