Hospitalizations Decline Across Morristown Medical's Network As Omicron Wanes

NORTH JERSEY — As the omicron variant wanes in New Jersey, hospitalizations across Atlantic Health System's facilities have declined. With patient volume decreasing, the health care network pushed for people to get boosted against COVID-19.

"It’s the booster shot that keeps you out of the hospital and keeps you alive in this phase of the pandemic," Dr. Steven Sheris, Atlantic Health's chief physician executive, said in a video released Feb. 2. (Watch below.)

Atlantic Health System's hospitals include Morristown Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, Newton Medical Center, Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains and Hackettstown Medical Center.

During the omicron wave, the Garden State peaked at 6,089 hospital patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. The number of COVID hospitalizations has gradually reduced since then, hitting 1,708 as of Wednesday.

Capacity data for individual hospitals comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which most recently reflects the week ending Feb. 3. Here's where Atlantic Health's hospitals stand as of Feb. 3.

Morristown Medical Center

• adult inpatient beds use: 77 percent
• adult ICU beds used: 67 percent
• adult inpatient beds used by COVID-19 patients: 5 percent
• adult ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients: 8 percent

Chilton Medical Center

• adult inpatient beds use: 61 percent
• adult ICU beds used: 29 percent
• adult inpatient beds used by COVID-19 patients: 8 percent
• adult ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients: data unavailable

Overlook Medical Center

• adult inpatient beds use: 55 percent
• adult ICU beds used: 34 percent
• adult inpatient beds used by COVID-19 patients: 8 percent
• adult ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients: 9 percent

Newton Medical Center

• adult inpatient beds use: 81 percent
• adult ICU beds used: 64 percent
• adult inpatient beds used by COVID-19 patients: 18 percent
• adult ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients: 30 percent

Hackettstown Medical Center

• adult inpatient beds use: 57 percent
• adult ICU beds used: 54 percent
• adult inpatient beds used by COVID-19 patients: 7 percent
• adult ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients: data unavailable

The ratio of COVID-19 hospitalizations to total beds provides insight on how much strain a hospital is under. The ratio becomes concerning at more than 10 percent and represents "extreme stress" at 20 percent, according to a framework developed by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

Watch Atlantic Health's full update below:

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