Blizzard conditions are battering the Northeast U.S., complicating care delivery for many hospitals and health systems in the region.
Three things to know about the snowstorm and its effects on health systems:
1. The storm. A powerful winter storm strengthened quickly off the Mid-Atlantic coast late on Feb. 22 and is now traveling north along the East Coast, according to a Feb. 23 alert from the National Weather Service. Some areas are expected to see 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour, with wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour. The heavy snow and strong winds will make travel “nearly impossible” across some parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the National Weather Service warned.
2. The scale. As of 10 a.m. EST, Feb. 23, more than 41 million people were under blizzard warnings and more than 350,000 people were without power across the region, NBC News reported. New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and New York City have all declared states of emergency, imposing travel restrictions due to the storm. New York City has already seen up to 11 inches of snow. Officials said the storm could be among the city’s most severe in 150 years, according to NBC.
3. Immediate effects on hospitals. Hospitals and health systems in the region remain operational, though many have shuttered clinics and physician offices, or delayed surgeries due to the winter storm. Boston-based Mass General Brigham has rescheduled all elective surgical cases and procedures for Feb. 23 at every hospital, except for Dover, N.H.-based Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass., according to a notice on its website. The health system has also closed all outpatient clinics, community health centers, outpatient surgical centers, physician practices and urgent care clinics. Affected appointments for Feb. 23 were either rescheduled or moved to virtual visits.
NYC Health + Hospitals has opened warming stations at 11 sites for New York City residents. The public health system is also deploying ambulettes and mobile units to provide clinical consultations and distribute supplies such as blankets, warm clothing and food to those in need. The health system has converted most in-person clinic appointments to telehealth visits.
Health systems are also navigating travel restrictions and public transit disruptions affecting their employees. Some organizations, such as Boston Medical Center, are offering front-line healthcare workers temporary hotel accommodations to avoid the need to commute home between shifts, according to NPR affiliate WGBH.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story that Becker’s will continue to update.
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