Development of an Index to Assess COVID-19 Hospital Care Installed Capacity in the 450 Brazilian Health Regions.
Claudia Cristina de Aguiar PereiraFernando Ramalho Gameleira SoaresCarla Jorge MachadoGustavo Saraiva FrioLayana Costa AlvesFernando José HerkrathRodrigo Tobias de Sousa LimaIvana Cristina de Holanda Cunha BarretoEverton Nunes da SilvaAnny Beatriz Costa Antony de AndradeLeonor Maria Pacheco SantosPublished in: Disaster medicine and public health preparedness (2022)
It was possible to identify inequalities in the hospital capacity to care for patients affected by COVID -19 in the Health Regions of Brazil, with a concentration of low index values in the Northeast and North of the country. As the indicator increased throughout the year 2020, inequalities were also observed. The information here provided may be used by health authorities, providers, and managers in planning and adjusting for future COVID-19 care and in dimensioning the adequate supply of hospital beds, health-care professionals, and devices in Health Regions to reduce associated morbidity and mortality. We recommend that the ICI continue to be calculated in the coming months of the pandemic to monitor the capacity in the country's Health Regions.