Definitive Healthcare’s latest map, COVID-19 Capacity Predictor was created to make it easier for government officials and healthcare organizations to identify where, and on what day, coronavirus medical supplies will likely run out. The purpose, noted a rep from the company, is to help organizations allocate resources wherever they are most needed, in time to improve patient outcomes.

As many states—certainly the most populous—are doing their best to require people to isolate and shelter at home to flatten the curve, there will still be a high demand for intensive care (ICU) beds and ventilators. As the number of COVID-19 cases increases, the need for those ICU beds and ventilators are expected to exceed supply.

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The healthcare organizations providing beds and ventilators, and public officials at all levels of government will need to allocate resources in the most strained locations, to improve patient outcomes.

Also featured, in addition to the interactive map, are charts. One chart provides the latest case data, and two dropdown menus, by state and by county. For example, at the time of this article, New York, New York County had 725 county ICU beds, 212 average ventilators in use, with a severe case capacity of 513; the total number of COVID-19 cases in New York county is 43,139.

“I think it’s important to note that, yes, this is a critical and anxiety-filled time,” said Zach Sanders, manager of product engineering at Definitive Healthcare. “We also cannot allow ourselves to become paralyzed into inaction by that feeling.” Sanders added that data maps like this, the latest, helps officials “identify areas of greatest need, devise solutions to bend the curve, and take action.”

The Framingham, MA-based Definitive Healthcare provides data and intelligence on hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers. Its previous map, the Impact Planning for COVID-19 dashboard, was created in conjunction with Esri and covered by TechRepublic on March 31.


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