Numbers of local hospital capacity now available to general public

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- Kentucky is one of the states that has the most counties above the 90% threshold for hospital capacity, according to data released by the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Anyone can now go online and look up their local hospitals and view the capacity of each one. Prior to this data being released, the general public did not have access to this information at a local level. 

The department released this data on Monday, after receiving criticism that they were only releasing statewide data. 

“Out of context it’s hard to understand what it means. I think the concept of it is a good idea. I think subjective evaluation of it is probably more realistic, so saying we’re near capacity or at capacity, over capacity, I think those are more meaningful than to say oh I’ve got 32 or 33 or 36 patients,” said TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital CMO David Smith. 

Med Center Health currently has 52 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and TriStar Greenview Hospital has about 20 patients. So far, both hospitals have been able to adjust their capacity to accommodate all COVID-19 patients. 

“But we don’t have unlimited capacity. So we still need people to do their very best. One, just for themselves so not to become ill. And two, not to help transmit the disease to other people. But you know if the hospitals were to become significantly overwhelmed, it would be a tragedy for all people,” said Smith.  

Now that this data is readily available, the question is will it impact if people gather together for the upcoming holidays this month?

“I hope that it will impact all of us. We know what we need to do to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus,” said Med Center’s Health Vice President of Ancillary Services Dennis Chaney.