Regional Medical Center in East San Jose is one of many Bay Area hospitals hit hard by the current coronavirus surge, treating around 130 COVID-19 patients, roughly a third of them in the ICU.
As far as bed capacity goes, "We have no capacity," said Dr. Paul Silka, head of the ER department. "We haven’t had capacity for six weeks."
But that doesn’t mean there’s never any room. Silka says capacity is kind of like a balloon, inflating and deflating, sometimes within the same day.
Being stretched thin has happened before, in past flu seasons, but Silka says the hospital is “uber over capacity,” forcing him and his staff to manage on a minute-by-minute basis.
"Picture air traffic control," he said. "Everything’s moving. If at that minute the ICU does not have space to take our critically ill COVID patient, we will house them or board them and keep them in the emergency department."
That is, until a bed is available. Like other hospitals, Regional Medical Center has kept ambulances with patients waiting outside for hours until room opens up. Also like other hospitals, Silka says, people can’t hang out inside because of the possibility of becoming infected.
"We have people camped out outside of the hospital, both waiting for emergency patients and keeping vigil for their impatient family members and friends," he said.
In spite of the surge, patients are still being well cared for, he says. His staff are tired and overworked, but they’re coping.