The impending threat of Hurricane Matthew has pushed coastal hospitals into action mode.
The rare category 4 hurricane, pinpointed in the Northwest Bahamas as of Thursday morning, is expected to strike Florida's East Coast Thursday night into Friday, according to The Weather Channel. The storm will likely bring destructive hurricane conditions to Georgia and much of North Carolina and South Carolina this weekend.
Here are six things to know about coastal hospitals or health systems prepping for the hurricane.
1. Jacksonville, Fla.-based hospitals are readying supplies and reviewing emergency action plans, according to News4jax. University of Florida Health Hospital held a preparatory meeting Tuesday afternoon to review a checklist of supplies for each department to ensure the hospital has everything it needs to treat patients before, during and after the category 4 hurricane. The meetings will continue until the storm no longer presents a threat, according to the report.
2. Health First evacuated all high-need or critical care patients from its hospital in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Tuesday, reports Space Coast Daily. Officials expected to complete the evacuation process Wednesday. Cape Canaveral Hospital patients were relocated to other Health First hospitals, a company spokesperson said in a statement.
3. Miami-based Jackson Health System will continue normal operations at all facilities, with some exceptions, according to NBC 6 South Florida. Its primary care clinics, the ambulatory care centers and rehab outpatient clinic will be closed Thursday and Friday.
4. Jackson Health System has advised pregnant women to go to the hospital if they are: carrying multiple babies and are at least 34 weeks into pregnancy; have placental implantation abnormalities and are at least 28 weeks into pregnancy; have a history of preterm labor; or are referred to the hospital by a treating physician, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
5. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health will remain open during Hurricane Matthew, but only for emergency and trauma patients, according to NBC 6 South Florida. The health system will also accept pregnant women who are 38 or more weeks pregnant, have a high-risk pregnancy or patients who have been pre-registered for delivery starting at 11 a.m. Thursday, the report states.
6. More than 75 hospital patients from Wuesthoff Medical Center in Melbourne, Fla., were moved to another facility, officials said, according to WKMG-TV. It is not clear where the patients were transferred, the report stated.