Urbana, Ill.-based Carle Foundation Hospital filed a petition with state regulators seeking to make its 36 temporary COVID-19 beds permanent, the News-Gazette reported Oct. 19.
"During the pandemic, Carle added temporary bed licenses to meet the needs of our community and serve more patients," Carle president Elizabeth Angelo said in the petition. "We've found that the need isn't temporary, and as the state's COVID waivers begin to expire, we are seeking permission to make these licenses permanent."
The hospital proposed to add the beds to its medical and surgical unit to accommodate inpatient volumes. If the petition is approved, Carle will have a total of 489 authorized beds.
The state board is set to meet and review the petition on March 23, 2023.