One day after Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center began diverting patients from its emergency department, Grady Memorial Hospital — about a mile away — is "packed," NBC affiliate WXIA reported Oct. 4.
The uptick in patients "caught [the hospital] a little by surprise," Robert Jansen, MD, chief medical officer of Atlanta-based Grady Health System, told the news station. However, the hospital had already been seeing an increase in patients since people learned Atlanta Medical Center was closing, and chose to visit Grady Memorial instead, Dr. Jansen said.
The hospital is doing "all it can" to add staff and beds, including the creation of a 24-bed mobile hospital, according to Dr. Jansen.
Atlanta Medical Center will officially close its emergency department on Oct. 14.