County/USC opened in 2008 with 600 beds, 224 fewer than the older tower it replaced, which stirred concerns it would lack capacity to meet demand. Sure enough, the hospital’s medical/surgical ward operates at 95 percent capacity and diverted more than 160 patients to other facilities in January, according to the report.
The project would cost between $300 million and $450 million to construct space for the additional beds, which would be raised through bonds, according to the report.
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