Wisconsin is in throws of another, this time more intense, COVID surge which, combined with very high demand for non-COVID care, is stressing the health care system. The WHA
COVID-19 dashboard illustrates some of these challenges currently facing hospitals throughout the state.
Data compiled from the WHA dashboard highlights the differences between last fall’s COVID-19 spike in Wisconsin and the current wave of hospitalizations. It is also important to note that COVID-19 cases are still trending upward, so the data in the comparison table will continue to evolve in the coming weeks.
While the current surge hasn’t reached the peak of COVID-19 hospitalizations seen in the fall of 2020, demand for ventilators and intensive care is markedly higher today, nonetheless. High demand for non-COVID care, combined with workforce challenges and hundreds of nursing home patients now being boarded inside hospitals is more severely eroding hospital capacity this time around and impacting access to access to care.
Since its creation in April 2020, the WHA COVID-19 dashboard had proven an invaluable resource, using real time information to illustrate the virus’ impact on the Wisconsin health care system. The page has been viewed more than 1.2 million times since it went live.