Closed NYC Hospitals Raise Surge Capacity Concerns After Hurricane Sandy

Several New York City hospitals remain closed a week and a half after Hurricane Sandy hit the area, raising concerns about other hospitals' surge capacity, according to an NBC News report.

NYU Langone Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital were forced to evacuate during the storm due to loss of electricity and flooding. While NYU Langone's outpatient clinics have reopened, the main hospital is closed, and Bellevue Hospital may not reopen for several weeks, according to the report.

Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., also evacuated due to loss of power and remains closed. In addition, the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Medical Center remains closed after evacuating patients before the storm hit.

The closures raise concerns for how other hospitals in the area will manage the additional patient volume. Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City has had a 70 percent increase in ambulance traffic since the storm, and reached a record in overall volume, ambulance volume and admissions from the ER to the hospital, according to the report.

More Articles on Hurricane Sandy:

New York City Hospitals Take in Patients Evacuated From NYU Langone
Rising Above Hurricane Sandy: Q&A With Hackensack University Health Network President and CEO Robert C. Garrett

North Shore-LIJ Establishes Relief Fund for Employees Affected by Hurricane Sandy

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