![[KPRC2] As Coronavirus Cases in the Houston Area Surge, Will the Healthcare System be able to Handle It?](https://www.gqrgm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/kprc2-as-coronavirus-cases-in-the-houston-area-surge-will-the-healthcare-system-be-able-to-handle-it.jpg)
Friday, March 20, 2020: EVP and Head of GQR’s Texas operations, Shawn Dargusch was interviewed by KPRC2 and Click2Houston.com speaking about the surge of patients to hit the healthcare system in Houston and across the country. The article poses the question as to whether or not the city’s healthcare system will be able to handle the influx of coronavirus patients.
The article goes on to look at some of the numbers. “Harris County and some neighboring counties have about 12,700 hospital beds. Approximately 10% are intensive care beds with the average occupancy of those beds prior to COVID-19 at about 60%. In Texas as a whole, there are more than 45,000 beds, with about 10% identified as intensive care beds. The occupancy rate for intensive care beds before the virus was between 51% and 56%.”
And, these percentages are expected to rise dramatically.
As medical sectors are ramping up, such as ventilator manufacturers, another question arises about the shortage of nursing staff.
Dargusch states, “We’re trying to find individuals all across the country willing to relocate to some of these extremely hard-hit areas.”
He goes on to say, “Due to this virus, recently retired nurses are coming back into the workforce and are offering assistance. That is the amazing (thing) about the healthcare community, is that everyone wants to do their part,” he said.
If you or someone you know is interested in a nursing role in the Texas area, please contact Shawn.Dargusch@gqrgm.com. Or in the California area, please contact Jon.Griffith@gqrgm.com.
