Health systems can significantly increase their capacity for a surge in COVID-19 cases by leveraging ASCs, according to a new model by Array Analytics.
Updated March 25, Array Analytics' model shows how much the percentage of total available intensive care unit beds in each state would increase if health systems turn to ASCs for space.
Overall, using ASCs could increase the national supply of ICU beds by 21 percent and boost the national supply of medical-surgical beds by 8 percent, according to the model's projections. However, in most markets, ASCs would only provide "a few days' additional capacity."
"Our analyses show that the roughly 900,000 hospital and ICU beds available in the US, numbers that include the ASCs, are simply not sufficient to meet the potential need for space," said Fady Barmada, president and co-founder of Array Analytics. "Our new, publicly available, surge capacity alternative space model presents additional paths that healthcare systems can take to increase bed availability."