Jackson General preps for hospitalization spike with mobile tent
JACKSON, Tenn. — A local hospital is now utilizing mobile hospital units to treat patients.
“If you drive by the hospital, you’ll see a tent out front. That’s because we’re out of rooms in the ER, and we had to expand to the tent to be able to care for our patients,” said Dr. Mike Revelle, with the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.
The spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations at Jackson General is forcing health officials to install emergency mobile units outside of the hospital.
Patients without COVID-19 will be treated in the tent. Dr. Jackie Taylor says the reason for this decision is because of a shortage of staff.
He says even though they have the North Hospital, they’re not utilizing it to treat patients who are sick.
“We have transitioned it to a surgical hospital, and we will consider as the pandemic continues what we do. One of the areas that we’re having with capacity is not beds, it’s staffing. We actually have more beds. We just don’t have the nursing staff, the respiratory therapist to do that,” Taylor said.
Revelle says he’s not sure how long they will use the tents or the number of patients they will treat.
“We’re going to see all we can. We’re set up now to do this if the volume dictates it, we can expand these tents to continue to meet the needs of the public,” Revelle said.
The hospital is also limiting the number of visitors, with only one visitor per patient each day.
“If you’re not sure you have a true medical emergency or seeking care, please go to to your primary care providers, go to the urgent cares, visit our other local emergency department that are affiliated with us,” Revelle said.
Stay with WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News for more on the mobile unit.
The Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department will host a COVID-19 briefing Thursday at 9 a.m.
West Tennessee is still encouraging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
You can read the full news release from West Tennessee Healthcare here.
