What must participating hospitals report according to IDPH requirements?

• A. Their bed availability using EMResource.
• B. Their staffing levels.
• C. Their daily patient census.
• D. The total number of EMS transports.

Answer: (B)

Public health reporting during emergencies centers on hospital staffing to gauge true surge capacity. IDPH requires participating hospitals to report staffing levels so the state can monitor clinician availability, allocate resources, and anticipate shortages that could limit patient care. Staffing data reveal whether there are enough nurses, physicians, and support staff to safely handle patient load, which is often the bottleneck even if beds are available. While bed availability and daily census are important operational metrics, the mandated submission in this context is the staffing levels, making it the most critical data to report.