12-29-2020, 04:53 PM
From an article in another newspaper, but credited to the Mercury News explains a confusing number of 0% ICU availability but with beds free:
SCC's % ICU available is the mathematical number, not some adjusted value. As of today, there are 149 COVID positive + 4 PUI + 139 non-COVID in 302 ICU beds out of a total of 323 staffed beds today. 21 available beds is 6.5% of the 323. SCC is reporting 7% ICU available. 49% (149/302) with COVID positive cases. The state would consider SCC to have -3% availability.
Quote: [California Department of Public Health] says it calculates the adjusted ICU capacity based on the proportion of ICU patients who have COVID-19. "If a region is utilizing more than 30% of its ICU beds for COVID-19 positive patients, then its available ICU capacity is adjusted downward by 0.5% for each 1% over the 30% threshold," according to the CDPH office of public affairs.
So that mind-bending formula explains how the state has 0% capacity with more than 1,300 ICU beds still available — and maybe why an explanation has been so hard to come by.
SCC's % ICU available is the mathematical number, not some adjusted value. As of today, there are 149 COVID positive + 4 PUI + 139 non-COVID in 302 ICU beds out of a total of 323 staffed beds today. 21 available beds is 6.5% of the 323. SCC is reporting 7% ICU available. 49% (149/302) with COVID positive cases. The state would consider SCC to have -3% availability.
