A major Houston health care system saw a significant increase in younger and Hispanic COVID-19 patients from the first surge to the second surge after Texas phased in reopening. Houston Methodist is the first to share such demographics in a peer-reviewed journal, publishing this analysis in a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Letter (online Aug. 13). The study shows that Houston Methodist reported a marked increase in Hispanic and younger COVID-19 patients between the first and second surges. Across the hospital system's eight locations, the number of Hispanic patients admitted for COVID-19 increased from nearly 26% to more than 43%. The data for Surge 2 (May 16-July 7) also revealed a demographic shift of the pandemic toward a younger and lower socio-economic patient population. The findings in the Houston Methodist research may help other health care organizations better prepare for surges and be a guide for managing hospital resources.
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To read the full letter, click here.
To speak with Robert A. Phillips, M.D., Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Physician Executive, Houston Methodist, contact Gale Smith, PR Manager, at 281.627.0439 or gsmith@houstonmethodist.org.
Journal
JAMA