Rhode Island Hospitals Free Beds, Open Tents, as Coronavirus Intensifies

Preparing for a likely surge in the need for coronavirus disease testing and treatment, hospitals around Rhode Island are joining their counterparts across the United States in taking readiness measures, including freeing up beds for intensive care and erecting tents to expand capacity.

The actions come as the state on Thursday announced 11 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 44.

Dr. G. Dean Roye, chief medical officer at The Miriam Hospital and Lifespan incident commander, wrote in an email to The Journal that “if we have a surge in patients, we have a plan in place to add additional ICU beds, by converting ‘step down beds’ to ICU beds, which would greatly increase our capacity to care for more critically ill patients.”

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