DOH asking hospitals to expand ICU bed allocation for COVID-19 cases —official

The Department of Health (DOH) is talking with hospitals to expand their allocation of intensive care unit (ICU) beds for COVID-19 cases amid reports of some hospital facilities reaching full capacity, Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said Wednesday.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit, Vega said that some hospitals are ignoring the minimum 30% ICU bed allocation for COVID-19 cases.

“Kinakausap namin dahan-dahan ang mga private institution, mga hospital chiefs na mag-allocate na bigger, mas malaking percentage sa mga COVID cases nila,” he said.

“Ang iba kasi meron lang mga 5%, 10%. Ang administrative order kasi ng DOH at least, minimum [30] percent para ma-open naman ang bed allocation sa mga private institution ganun din sa pampubliko,” he added.

Vega said retained hospitals or health facilities under the DOH are advised to expand up to 60% allocation.

According to him, DOH established a command center where hospitals can refer COVID-19 cases to other hospitals when their ICU bed allocation is already fully occupied.

Vega said there should be a balance between the allocation for COVID-19 cases and non-COVID-19 cases so that hospitals can still accommodate other patients.

Hospitals' reactions

But as far as the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) is concerned, it would be hard-pressed to follow the DOH's suggestion as it would "compromise" non-COVID-19 patients.

"May mga pasyente na non-COVID, wala namang pneumonia pero may problema kunwari sa kidney. Mako-compromise naman po 'yun kung pati ang non-COVID beds ay kukunin. Konti na nga lang eh," said Dr. Rose Marie Rosete-Liquete, NKTi executive director, in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Wednesday.

In a separate interview on Dobol B sa News TV, The Medical City chief medical officer Dr. Rafael Claudio said the health facility also reached its full capacity for COVID-19 cases.

In expanding the allocation, Claudio said the availability of health care workers who will attend to the additional patients, as well as the necessary equipment, should also be considered.

“Ang pinaka-critical po siguro rito 'yung capacity ng ICU. Sa ICU kami ay 100% occupied...Sa ngayon, meron kaming three floors, three wards na nakalaan sa COVID-19. Ito ay puno na rin sa ngayon,” Claudio said.

“Hindi lang beds ang pinag-uusapan natin. Importante rin kung kumpleto ang  ating manpower,” he added.

Meanwhile, to address the issue of overworked health care workers and understaffing in hospitals, Vega said the DOH is facilitating augmentation of workforce to the concerned health facilities.

On Tuesday, Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. president Dr. Rustico Jimenez said private hospitals are nearing their full capacity for COVID-19 cases.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the utilization rates of ward and isolation beds for COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila are now over 70% and already at the "danger zone" level. —KBK, GMA News