Local healthcare services are working to coordinate care while Atlanta-based Grady Memorial Hospital operates at reduced capacity more than a month after a burst water pipe flooded the facility, according to NPR's affiliate radio station WABE.
Grady's emergency room, one of the largest in the area, is currently only accepting trauma, stroke and burn patients.
Nearby hospitals have reported higher patient volumes, but told WABE it was difficult to attribute the increase to Grady's reduced capacity.
On the other hand, the flood has directly affected emergency medical service providers, requiring immense coordination. After the pipe burst, local paramedics added another step to their workflow, Terence Ramotar, regional director for American Medical Response, told WABE. Now, when a patient is ready for transport, paramedics call Grady, which directs the ambulance to an ER with the capacity to accept patients.
Grady runs the call center with help from the Georgia Department of Public Health, which connected local hospitals and EMS providers in the immediate aftermath of the flood.
It is unknown how long the diversion will last. Initially, officials estimated repairs could take two to three months, but they have not provided further updates.