Hospitals in Dallas-Fort Worth say they’re ready for possible COVID-19 patient surge
Preparations by Fort Worth hospitals for a surge of COVID-19 patients have been going on since the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak, when 60.8 million Americans were infected, according to the president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
That pandemic resulted in 274,304 hospitalizations and 12,469 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It was a difficult time then, but we’re prepared now,” Steve Love said on Thursday.
Some of those preparations include a full inventory on personal protective equipment — like masks, eye covers and gowns — and coordination between hospitals to make sure enough beds are available, Love said.
Love could not answer questions about staffing levels at Fort Worth hospitals. But according to the 2017 census, there are 4,500 physicians between Tarrant, Denton and Dallas counties.
Love also could not say how many people are hospitalized because of COVID-19. There have been 19 reported cases in Tarrant County, 55 in Dallas County and five in Denton County as of Thursday afternoon.
“It’s important to understand that many people who might test positive may not even require hospitalization,” Love said. “We feel confident with the levels (of beds) that we have currently.”
Texas Health Harris and John Peter Smith Hospital combine for about 4,570 beds, and there’s another 10,000 in hospitals across Dallas-Fort Worth. Health Harris declined to say how many of those beds are occupied.
Love said if there is a large surge, local officials could work with the state of Texas and potentially with FEMA depending on how state and federal governments decide to coordinate.
“We can find alternative ways to care for patients,” he said.
That could be done by either setting up tents or using hospital space differently.
Individual Fort Worth hospitals have not been open about what preparations they’re making. A spokeswoman from Baylor Scott & White referred questions to Love. Cook’s Children Hospital did not answer questions on Thursday.
Texas Health Harris answered some questions. It has about 4,000 beds but would not say how many are available. The hospital also wouldn’t say how many respirators are available.
A spokeswoman at John Peter Smith Hospital said it has 68 respirators. The hospital also said it has 578 beds, 36 ICU rooms and 40 isolation rooms.
Asked if they’ve ordered additional protective gear, Stephen O’Brien from Texas Health said, “Like all health systems, we are carefully managing all supplies in light of the increased demand related to COVID-19.”
