Despite Coronavirus Surge, Most Boston Hospitals Have Space

BOSTON — The number of coronavirus patients at most hospitals in Boston is not above the threshold where experts say there is added pressure on hospital staff, according to updated data released last week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Experts told NPR, which first reported this story, that it's concerning when the number of COVID-19 patients in a hospital rises above 10 percent of the hospital's capacity. In Boston, just two of the nine hospitals that shared data were above that level during the week ended Dec. 5: Brigham And Women's Faulkner Hospital at 11 percent and Carney Hospital at 16 percent.

In Massachusetts, however, several hospitals have seen increases in COVID-19 patients since Thanksgiving and since the period covered in the report. During Gov. Charlie Baker's Tuesday press briefing, Melissa Jocelyn, a nursing director at Massachusetts General Hospital, said the hospital was starting to see a shortage of beds since the period covered in the most recent report.

"We are experiencing capacity challenges," Jocelyn said. "If you are a patient in the emergency room, you may have to wait for a very long time for a bed to become available."

Citywide, about eight percent of patients in Boston Hospitals were being treated for COVID-19 during the week ended Dec. 5. The other hospitals that released data include:

• Beth Israel Deaconess, 6%
• Boston Medical Center, 9%
• Brigham and Women's, 5%
• Massachusetts General Hospital, 5%
• St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, 5%
• Tufts Medical Center, 7%

Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Franciscan Children's Hospital & Rehab Center, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, New England Baptist Hospital and Shriner's Hospital For Children did not release data.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).