As COVID-19 surges across the nation, some hospitals are hitting capacity, setting up overflow units and tents to meet patient demand.
Below are four hospitals that have recently set up overflow units:
Editor's note: This list is not exhaustive.
Blue Mountain Hospital (John Day, Ore.) has erected a tent outside its emergency room as a proactive measure, though the hospital still has capacity, reports Blue Mountain Eagle. The tent is in preparation for a COVID-19 surge, specifically with the long Labor Day holiday weekend approaching. Oregon National Guard members are supporting hospital staff and helping set up the tent.
St. Claire Regional Medical Center (Morehead, Ky.) set up an overflow tent as it nears capacity, reports WKYT-TV. Two intensive care units were at capacity, a majority filled with COVID-19 patients. Some COVID-19 patients are now being treated in the overflow tent.
Midland (Texas) Memorial Hospital has set up a tent to help manage emergency room overflow amid surging COVID-19 cases, reports KOSA-TV. The tent will have at least 14 stalls and be staffed by both hospital and state workers. Low-acuity patients will be transferred to the tent.
Union Hospital (Terre Haute, Ind.) set up a mobile triage unit outside its emergency department, reports the Tribune-Star. The tent has privacy screens and eight rooms for patient care.
"Out of caution, the incident command team decided to set the tent up," Barry Nicoson, the hospital's emergency preparedness coordinator, said Aug. 30. "It's not being used at this time, and to be honest with you, we hope it doesn't get used. But the idea was to get it up and get it ready just in case we needed to have it."