Hospitalization records:
– First reported COVID-19 hospitalizations: Apr. 13
– Date the state passed 100 COVID-19 patients: Apr. 13
– Date the state passed 1,000 COVID-19 patients: Jun. 2
– Date with the highest patient count: Dec. 13 (3,622 patients, 52 per 100,000 population)
Hospital capacity as of Dec. 13:
– Inpatient beds: 76.7{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9} occupied (22.3{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9} with COVID-19 patients)
– ICU beds: 71.1{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9} occupied (5.7{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9} with COVID-19 patients)
Hospital staffing shortages as of Dec. 13:
– Current staffing shortage: 38 hospitals out of 122 (31.1{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9})
– Anticipating a shortage in the next week: 42 hospitals (34.4{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9})
Banner Health, one of Arizona’s large health systems, cares for about half of the state’s COVID-19 patients, and was preparing to reach its capacity by Dec. 15, and hit 125{50531db320f8e8a316d79d6a285e47c71b6e4f6739df32858cb86474d7e720e9} of its capacity Dec.18. Hospitals are also waiting on grant money to hire more medical staff. In light of rising cases and hospitalizations, University of Arizona’s COVID-19 modeling team sent a memo to the state’s department of health services, recommending officials impose a shelter-in-place order—along with emergency economic relief measures—to limit new cases and ease the burden on the state’s hospitals.