Baguio hospital care utilization rate increasing

The ongoing surge in Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 cases in the city resulted in a significant increase in the hospital care utilization rate in the different public and private health facilities in the city right at the start of the year.

City Health officer Dr. Rowena Galpo stated that as of January 18, 2022, the utilization rate of allotted isolation beds, ward beds and mechanical ventilators range from moderate to critical based on the reports submitted by the different public and private hospitals operating in the city.

In terms of isolation beds, there are already 112 of the available 135 beds that are already occupied that represent a utilization rate of 82.35 percent.

For ward beds, the city health officer noted that 129 of the available 200 beds are already occupied by COVID-19 patients that represent a utilization rate of 75.60 percent.

Further, there are also32 of the available 46 intensive care unit (ICU) beds that are already occupied that represent a utilization rate of 69.57 percent as of the aforesaid date.

Galpo claimed that there are already a total of 273 occupied COVID-19 beds in the different public and private health facilities in the city with a utilization rate of 71.47 percent or classified as critical risk based on the standards of the health department.

On the other hand, she reported that 15 of the available 54 mechanical ventilators in the said health facilities are now occupied that represent a utilization rate classified as low risk as of the said date.

Saint Louis University (SLU) Hospital of the Sacred heart had the highest occupancy rate of its allocated COVID-19 beds with 93.94 percent followed by Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital with 91.67 percent, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) -70 parent, Baguio Medical Center (BMC) 50 percent and Pines City Doctors Hospital – 36.29 percent. – Dexter A. See