A shortage of pediatric beds is growing after a spike in seasonal infectious viruses.
While the viruses have exacerbated the nationwide shortage, it stems from a financial struggle to accommodate for a surge of adults requiring inpatient treatment for COVID-19, said Riley Children’s Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mara Nitu.
“When an adult hospital is facing those competing interests, the ultimate decision that many make is to look at their programs and choose those that seem to be utilized more frequently,” she said. “And that is why more and more small pediatric units, which are located in larger adult hospitals, have closed.”
In past years, hospital bed shortages have been a seasonal issue. The pandemic has skewed the timeline and created an ongoing issue.
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The shortage will not go away with the end of flu season, Nitu said. She anticipates the trend to continue while adult hospitals examine their financial operating models.
“Through COVID there was a decrease in pediatric volume patients,” Nitu said. “It will be a financial decision driven by utilization of that particular space, with competitive forces coming from needing more space for adults.”
The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) named the availability of pediatric hospital beds as “the most pressing concern”, with more than 70% occupancy in the five largest Hoosier children’s hospitals.
Hoosiers can anticipate seeing fewer pediatric beds near their homes.
Hospitals serving rural areas of Indiana are likely to have less availability for inpatient pediatric care. Children will receive more pediatric focused care in larger medical healthcare facilities, Nitu said.
One solution Nitu identified is for adult hospitals to partner with large pediatric units and make tandem decisions regarding expansion.
“Many times, the decisions are made in solo and then the larger children's hospitals will have to figure out how to adapt and to absorb this larger number of patients,” she said.
Opening more community clinics can reduce the need for inpatient care by maintaining general health, Nitu said. While these solutions are outside of the average Hoosier parent’s abilities, there are ways to start improvements at home.
“Good immunization is a first strategy,” she said. “Second would be good hand hygiene and avoiding large crowds during the viral peaks.”
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