A critical hospital bed shortage could soon hit the US

Hospitals in the United States, already overflowing this winter amid what experts have deemed a “quademic” could face even more occupancy issues and — deadly consequences — within the next decade.

The nation is on track for a critical hospital bed shortage by 2032, researchers have said. The shortage is largely driven by a reduction of staffed hospital beds, potentially preventing life-saving care for patients.

“We’ve all heard about increased hospital occupancy during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but these findings show that hospitals are as full, if not more so, than they were during the pandemic, even well into 2024 during what would be considered a post-pandemic steady state,” Dr. Richard Leuchter, assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health, said in a statement.

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Source: The Independent, 19 February 2025