April 2020 Utilization Report
COVID-19 affected many service lines in DC hospitals during the month of April 2020. The graphs and tables in this report show the impact as reflected in utilization metrics in comparison to previous months. Observing the trends in data reflecting indicators such as admissions, patient days and capacity are helpful in visualizing the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals in the District. Hospitals experienced their lowest volume of admissions, emergency visits and ambulatory surgeries for the time period presented during the month of April 2020. Percentage change for March and April 2020 from the same month in 2019 is depicted in the chart below for reference.
Hospitals changed the distribution of bed-type allocations and added beds to accommodate the potential surge. For example, based on the data reported in April, MedStar Washington Hospital Center expanded ICU bed capacity from 107 to 121 beds (13% increase) and Sibley Memorial Hospital added 137 Med Surg beds (110% increase since February). In addition, several hospitals transferred patient and modified beds for specialty program in preparation for potential surge including Psychiatric Institute of Washington, MedStar National Rehab, United Medical Center and BridgePoint skilled nursing facilities. Although these transitions for specialty care resulted in slightly higher admissions for some specialty care providers, the overall trend showed decreasing volumes.
