Rhode Island's largest health system, Providence-based Lifespan, opened a 600-bed field hospital as its standard medical and surgical beds fill.
Lifespan CEO Timothy Babineau, MD, told CNBC the system's intensive care unit and ventilator capacity hasn't been challenged as much as the med/surg beds.
"We have plenty of ICU capacity. We have plenty of ventilator capacity. However, our regular med/surg beds are full" with COVID-19 patients, Dr. Babineau told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Dec. 2.
The alternative hospital is housed in the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. It is intended for patients who are not critically ill. Dr. Babineau said Lifespan has already started transferring patients from its main campus to the field hospital.
As of Dec. 3, there were 408 patients hospitalized in Rhode Island with COVID-19. The state's hospital bed capacity is 2,187.