Alternative care sites for hospital overflows considered

The state will use a long-term care facility in Delaware City and space in a children’s hospital for overflow patients expected as COVID-19 cases surge.

The Delaware Emergency Management Agency and the State Health Operations Center announced April 6 that Governor Bacon Health Center – the Department of Health and Social Services’ long-term care facility in Delaware City – and rehabilitation gym and a medical intensive care unit in Nemours duPont Hospital for Children will be used for overflow patients, said Jeff Sands, spokesman for DEMA.  

State officials, the National Guard and Army Corp of Engineers continue to work with Beebe Healthcare, Nanticoke Health Services and Bayhealth for options to place non-COVID-19 patients from the southern hospitals if surge occurs. Sands previously said potential options are the old Milford Memorial Hospital and a National Guard field option adjacent to one of the current hospitals. 

On April 7, however, DEMA announced plans for a mobile hospital for overflow from Bayhealth, Nanticoke Memorial Hospital and Beebe Healthcare. The three healthcare systems are coordinating their surge plans with county and state officials, Sands said.

Site evaluations have already been done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Delaware National Guard, which will help preparing the mobile hospital and operating it. The field hospital was used during a 2016 exercise and the Delaware National Guard stands ready to deploy the unit as previously trained, Sands said. The mobile hospital can potentially treat 50-60 patients who do not have COVID-19, and fewer number if they have COVID-19. Sands said a number of buildings were surveyed, however, proximity to existing health care facilities and the accompanying resources are crucial to a successful mission.