Does Houston have too many pediatric beds?

It’s a problem that most towns and cities would love to have: too many pediatric beds, and not enough sick children to fill them.

But it seems to be a real problem in Houston. The Ben Taub General Hospital is considering consolidating its pediatric ward, due to a lack of activity.

Houston is a good place to be if you are a sick kid. Texas Children’s Hospital is huge, as is Memorial Hermann’s Children’s Hospital. Ben Taub’s pediatric unit, not nearly as big, comprises 34 pediatric beds, and another 10 intensive care bed.

The issue isn’t just that the bed are empty. Adults are being turned away for lack of beds, administrators say. This is why they’re considering consolidation, possibly with neighboring Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital’s pediatric unit.

Harris County Hospital District CEO David Lopez will present a recommendation in April as to how to proceed. He has stated the pediatric unit will not close down, as a rumor had it.