Houston area hospitals prepare for COVID-19 case escalation

HOUSTON – Health experts at Hermann Memorial Hospital and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center say they are prepared for what could happen in the coming weeks.

It’s an endless battle with COVID-19. Cases continue to rise in Houston and Harris County.

“We certainly continue to ask the people of Greater Houston to help us stop this disease. Please be patient, wear the mask, use social distance, let’s wash our hands so we can limit the demand for hospitalization, ”said Dr. David Callender, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System.

On Tuesday, Texas Medical Center reported 4,515 new cases and 388 new hospitalizations.

“We are concerned that all these metrics will get worse before they get better,” said Callender.

TMC said that there are 1,405 people in the ICU. Of these people, 511 have COVID-19. Several hospitals in our area already have plans in place, should the numbers get worse.

“We are not concerned with beds, this is something we have to spare. Our hospital has two campuses, so we have a second campus that we can expand to if necessary, ”said Dr. Liz Youngblood, president of Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

“We have converted some space that is not normally used for beds into space for bed care in the face of this growing demand, so we are not without beds, but we are clearly concerned,” said Callender.

Both hospitals also have additional staff, agencies and mobile workers who are ready to help.

“We are all busy, everyone is busy and it is not just COVID-19, there is that regular demand for hospital services that there are people who have suffered heart attacks, victims of stroke,” said Callender.