Mission Health to Remove Triage Tents at Local Hospitals Tents Figured Prominently in Emergency Planning Protocols

**Note** The use of triage tents was announced on March 31st. [LINK]

PRESS RELEASE
Mission Hospitals
Asheville, NC
April 24, 2020


ASHEVILLE, N.C. – April 24, 2020 – Mission Health announced the organization would be removing the emergency triage tents it placed at its hospitals last month. The tents, which were installed as part of standard emergency planning protocols and for training exercises, were to create additional capacity as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved.

“Fortunately, we have not yet seen widespread transmission of COVID-19 at this point in our community or a surge in our hospitals,” said Kathy Guyette, Division Chief Nursing Executive of the North Carolina Division of HCA Healthcare. “As a result, over the next few weeks we will begin removing the tents from their current locations.”

Should the need arise in the future for the additional space provided by the tents, they can be reassembled in a matter of hours to meet demand.

“Having the tents up and available has added greatly to our preparedness efforts, and these have been a source of security for our staff and the community,” Guyette said. William Hathaway MD, Chief Medical Officer at Mission Health cautions, “While we have not needed the tents to date, this in no way should be interpreted as an endorsement of relaxing our social distancing measures. The Stay Home, Stay Safe guidance, and the community’s sacrifices related to it, have been hugely beneficial for our community and have meaningfully flattened the curve and quite honestly have saved lives. While we look forward to a more normal future, now is not the time to change our behaviors.”

Mission continues to monitor the situation and work closely in partnership with local and state health departments, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ABOUT MISSION HEALTH

Mission Health, an operating division of HCA Healthcare, is based in Asheville, North Carolina, and is the state’s sixth largest health system. Mission Health operates six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, post-acute care provider CarePartners, long-term acute care provider Asheville Specialty Hospital and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. With approximately 12,000 colleagues and 2,000 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit missionhealth.org or @MissionHealthNC.


Published at 5:30am on Saturday, April 25, 2020