Hospital beds for the nation's sickest kids are disappearing
Summary
Hospitals across the United States are closing pediatric inpatient and intensive care units, citing low patient numbers, staffing shortages and the high cost of caring for children. The closures leave many families, especially in rural areas, facing longer trips for specialized care; researchers and health groups warn that Medicaid funding cuts could add financial pressure on hospitals.Key Facts
- Hospitals closed pediatric intensive care units in Montana, Oregon and Missouri in the past year, while overnight pediatric wings shut in Illinois and California.
- Pediatric inpatient units fell from 1,749 hospitals in 2008 to 1,226 in 2022, a decline of nearly 30%.
- Three-quarters of hospitals had no pediatric inpatient services by 2022, according to the cited analysis.
- Hospitals say low patient volumes, shortages of pediatric specialists, lower payments for treating children and the cost of child-sized equipment make pediatric care difficult to sustain.
- Rural families can face long journeys to reach pediatric critical care.
- Community Medical Center in Missoula closed its pediatric intensive care unit; its CEO said the hospital would stabilize the sickest children and transfer them elsewhere.
- About half of U.S. children are covered by Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, and researchers warn that coverage losses could reduce hospital revenue.
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