Journal article
Trends in hospital capacity and utilization in Puerto Rico by health regions, 2010–2020
Scientific reports, v 14(1), 17849
01 Aug 2024
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Like many under resourced, island communities, most of the municipalities in Puerto Rico are medically underserved. However, there is limited information about changes in hospital capacity and any regional disparities in availability of hospital services in Puerto Rico, especially given the multiple public health emergencies the island has faced in recent years (e.g. hurricanes, earthquakes, and COVID-19). This study described the trends in hospital capacity and utilization for the Island of Puerto Rico and by health regions from 2010 to 2020. We analyzed the 2021–22 Area Health Resource File (AHRF) and aggregated the data by seven health regions, which are groupings of municipalities defined by the Puerto Rico Department of Health. Ten-year estimates for hospital utilization were adjusted for population size by health region. During the more recent five-year period, there were decreases in hospitals, hospital beds, and surgeries, which represent a shift from the earlier five-year period. Over the 10 years of the study period, there was an overall decrease in population-adjusted measures of hospital utilization on the island of Puerto Rico—despite multiple disasters that would, theoretically, increase need for health care services. We also found variation in hospital capacity and utilization by health regions indicating the rate of change was not uniform across Puerto Rico. The capacity of Puerto Rico’s hospital system has shrunk over the past decade which may pose a challenge when responding to recurrent major public health emergencies, especially within specific health regions.
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Details
- Title
- Trends in hospital capacity and utilization in Puerto Rico by health regions, 2010–2020
- Creators
- Jim P Stimpson - The University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterAlexandra C Rivera-GonzálezDamaris Lopez Mercado - Drexel UniversityJonathan Purtle - New York UniversityGlorisa Canino - University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusAlexander N Ortega - University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Publication Details
- Scientific reports, v 14(1), 17849
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
No Statement AvailableDAS:The Area Health Resources File data used in this study are publicly available from the Health Resources & Services Administration: https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/ahrf.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001293364100043
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85200389818
- Other Identifier
- 991021895762604721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health