Experts are raising concerns that within the next decade, hospitals across the United States could be operating near full capacity, with hospital overcrowding becoming an increasingly urgent issue.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the average hospital occupancy nationwide stood at 64 percent. That figure has since climbed to 75 percent, and researchers predict it will surge by another 10 percent in less than ten years.

This trend could have dire consequences, particularly in emergency departments where long wait times can prove fatal.

Dr. Richard Leuchter, an assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that while many associate hospital overcrowding with the peak of the pandemic, recent findings indicate that hospitals are just as full—if not more so—well into 2024, despite the post-pandemic period being considered stable.