UW Medicine is implementing our surge plan to separate low acuity ambulatory patients with respiratory illness symptoms from other patients when they arrive at our hospitals’ emergency departments.
As part of this plan, low acuity ambulatory patients with respiratory illness symptoms will be directed to a tent outside of the emergency department. Following a brief evaluation, patients will be treated and discharged or directed to the most appropriate care setting in the hospital or at alternative sites of care.
Tents will be set up at all four UW Medicine hospitals: Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center – Montlake, UW Medical Center – Northwest and Valley Medical Center. In addition, each hospital is developing architectural plans to modify interior spaces in the emergency departments to provide safe care for patients with respiratory illnesses.
We are confident that our surge plans will enable us to scale up our capacity to treat increasing numbers of patients with COVID-19 symptoms while also preserving our resources to care for patients with other critical injuries or illnesses in our emergency departments.
Sincerely,
UW Medicine Leadership
