Gov. Brian Kemp announced a “temporary medical unit” at a Macon hospital will treat COVID-19 patients beginning early next month.
The unit, along with others in Rome and Gainesville, will share some 125 staffers. It’s expected to be operational by May 5.
The Macon unit will be located at Navicent Health, according to a Kemp news release sent Tuesday morning.
It was unclear if the unit would be built outside of a Navicent facility or use current hospital space, possibly at the company’s main site, the Medical Center in downtown Macon. The Telegraph has reached out to Navicent and the governor’s office for more information.
“Although this temporary medical unit is not necessary for patient care at this time, this precautionary measure is being taken in the event that extra capacity is needed during Georgia’s anticipated patient peak in COVID-19 activity,” Navicent officials said in a news release. “This peak is expected later this month. As a tertiary teaching hospital, The Medical Center Navicent Health must stand ready to take all patients, regardless of their ability to pay, from over 55 counties in central and south Georgia.”
Georgia emergency management officials have in recent weeks inquired about whether a Macon venue might be available if the number of seriously ill coronavirus patients overwhelms the state’s hospital system. The additional beds are part of Georgia’s preparation for an estimated surge of COVID-19 patients in late April and early May.
Statewide hospital bed capacity will also be buttressed by a200-bed “alternate care facility”the state is installing at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
“Using the 200 non-ICU medical pods, similar to large cubicles, we will be able to house Georgians with mild-to-moderate symptoms and, if needed, we can quickly expand capacity to 400 non-ICU beds,” Kemp said. “Our team will utilize contract medical staffing for the state’s projected peak date, currently set for April 26, according to the IHME model.”
Georgia has hired Jackson Healthcare to add 570 “healthcare professionals” to several hospitals around the state. Kemp said in the release that more than 20 employees had been sent to Central State Hospital in Milledgeville. The hospital reported 24 staff and 12 patients have tested positive for COVID-19, and two staff members have died.
Source:The Telegraph