A study analyzing U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data revealed significant variations in pediatric hospital bed occupancy rates across the U.S. for April 2024.
Top 10 States With Highest Bed Occupancy
- Idaho: 155.3%
- Texas: 87.9%
- Oklahoma: 82.5%
- Missouri: 82.3%
- Pennsylvania: 80.4%
- Rhode Island: 77.6%
- Massachusetts: 77.1%
- New Mexico: 75.9%
- Nebraska: 75.9%
- Washington: 72.8%
Top 10 States With Lowest Bed Occupancy
- Alaska: 21.9%
- Vermont: 22%
- New Hampshire: 29.2%
- Iowa: 42.5%
- Indiana: 45%
- Montana: 45.3%
- South Dakota: 49.6%
- Mississippi: 50.7%
- New Jersey: 54.9%
- New York: 55.1%
Additional Findings
Idaho had only one dedicated pediatric hospital, St. Luke's Children's Hospital. Texas had the highest number of children's beds, ranking at 3,627, the second highest in the U.S. Oklahoma had 359 beds across hospitals, with an average of 296 occupied.
Limitations
The study relied on data from a single month (April 2024), which may not have accounted for seasonal variations in pediatric hospitalizations. Additionally, the data did not differentiate between types of pediatric beds (e.g., general, ICU, specialty) or reasons for admission.
About the Study
This analysis was conducted by Bader Scott. The full dataset and additional information can be found at https://baderscott.com/.