How hospitals can proactively manage the anticipated coronavirus ICU surge: Providers must make smart, tough choices from the get-go

Our country is facing an inevitable onslaught of coronavirus patients on the health-care system, and more specifically on hospitals’ intensive care units. A study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security estimates anywhere from 200,000 to 2 million ICU visits for Covid-19 patients during the outbreak. If demand from these patients is spread over two months, and each one resides for six days in the ICU, this reflects a need for up to 200,000 beds.