Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network hospitals in Salisbury Township, Pa. and Bethlehem, Pa., added temporary surge tents to manage increased patient volumes, from flu cases to emergency injuries, according to The Express-Times.
"The flu is part of it, but we're seeing a higher acuity of patients, greater numbers of patients with really all types of illnesses and injuries," John Wheary, DO, director of emergency medicine at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem, said Wednesday.
Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest added its tent last week, followed by the Muhlenberg campus this week. The eight-campus health system last deployed surge tents in 2013, Dr. Wheary said.
"One day ago this was a parking lot," Dr. Wheary said. "In less than 24 hours we have a tent that's fully functional with equipment, computers, everything that we need to take care of emergency patients."