While the percentage of available hospital beds increased in the state between Sept. 17 and Friday, most of the hospitals in the Mahoning Valley are still experiencing relatively high capacity.

The data was obtained in a public records lawsuit by Eye on Ohio, the Ohio Center for Journalism that collaborates with news organizations across the state to share data and search for evidence-based solutions.

It shows the availability of intensive care unit beds in the state increased by 11 percent and medical / surgical beds increased by 45 percent in a one-week period. The data, a daily average, was published Monday for hospital capacity as of Friday and is the latest data available.

The state hit an all-time low Sept. 17 in availability of medical / surgical beds with just 650 available and an all-time low for ICU bed availability with just 179 open beds. As of Friday, there were 944 medical / surgical beds and 199 ICU beds available.

Meanwhile, several hospitals in northeast Ohio are asking for the public’s help to cope with the shortage of inpatient beds and longer than usual wait times for emergency and urgent care. Among them are Southwoods Health, Boardman; Belmont Pines, Liberty; Salem Regional Medical Center, Salem; and UH Portage Medical Center, Ravenna.

Their officials are asking the public, in part, to get vaccinated and for mild, routine health care needs, consider care from a local health care provider, through telehealth or pharmacy-based clinics.

They also ask people to wear a mask indoors or in large gatherings despite vaccination status, to social distance and avoid large crowds, to wash their hands frequently and to consider not seeking testing at an emergency department if you have mild or no symptoms.

“We need your help to ensure we continue to have the resources and staff to care for our community. Unless your COVID-19 symptoms are worsening or life-threatening, you have better care options that can help us stay focused on delivering advanced care to those who need it most,” a letter from the officials states.

MEDICAL / SURGICAL BEDS

In the Valley, St. Joseph Warren Hospital, St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital and St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital had more medical / surgical beds available Friday than they did on Sept. 17. Trumbull Regional Medical Center did not.

Trumbull Regional had 16 beds open the week before with 14 available the last time the facility reported on Thursday. On Sept. 20, the facility had 18 open. On Sept. 8, the facility hit its lowest point of availability since the beginning of the pandemic with 13 open beds. It’s highest point of availability was in April 2020 with about 103 beds. The facility started September with 51 beds open.

The numbers fluctuate daily and local hospital officials have said that even when capacity is listed at zero that room can be found in the facilities for other beds.

St. Joseph had seven open beds on Friday, the highest availability the facility had all month, with just two beds available Thursday and none free on Sept. 17 and Sept. 20. The hospital started the month without any beds available and reported zero open beds on Sept. 17. The facility had 258 open beds in April 2020.

St. Elizabeth Youngstown had six open beds Friday compared with two Sept. 17. It started the month with five open beds and the most availability the facility has had this month was 12.5 on Sept. 4. On Sept. 22 the hospital had the lowest availability this month with a 1.5 daily average.

St. Elizabeth Boardman had one open bed on Friday, though the number was at 10 on Thursday. The number fluctuated down to zero on Sept. 17 before hitting a high of 19 on Sept. 22.

ICU BEDS

For intensive care unit beds, the hospitals in Boardman, Youngstown and Trumbull Regional all had the same availability Friday as last reported a week before, with Trumbull holding at one bed available and both St. Elizabeth facilities holding at zero.

St. Joseph Warren had two available beds Friday, the highest number reported in more than a month. The facility reported all beds occupied from Aug. 14 until Friday. The highest number of ICU beds the facility had open was 23 in May 2020.

Trumbull Regional began the month with four open beds, and hit a high this month of eight beds open on Sept. 13. The most ICU beds the facility had open was 22 in April.

St. Elizabeth Youngstown started the month with a daily average of 0.5 beds open and the most the facility had available this month was 1.5. The most ICU beds the facility had open was 11 in April 2020.

Boardman’s availability went up from zero Sept. 17 to two Sept. 22, but dropped again to zero Friday. The facility began the month with zero availability, and the most it has had open since the beginning of September was three on Sept. 2.

rfox@tribtoday.com