The Nemours Children’s Health System has been designated by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) as one of two alternative care sites in Delaware to support the anticipated surge of COVID-19 patients into the Delaware hospital systems during the pandemic.
Nemours will only be accepting transfers from Delaware community hospitals of non-COVID-19 adults to Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. Prior to transfer, adult patients must test negative for COVID-19.
Nemours duPont Hospital for Children has developed two treatment areas to provide medical care for non-COVID-19 adults. The Sports Medicine gym, which is located one floor below the main level and away from pediatric care, has been converted into an alternative care site for low acuity cases beginning with 38 beds with possible expansion if needed. A medical intensive care unit will be situated across and separate from the pediatric intensive care unit, and comprise 24 beds.
Given Nemours’ partnership with ChristianaCare, which includes a joint residency program that consists of both medical and pediatric training, non-COVID adult patients will be transferred from this health system as well as any other community hospitals in Delaware in need of support. Nemours treatment sites will be staffed by Nemours’ hospitalists, nurses and ancillary staff who have prior adult experience and skills as well as by ChristianaCare hospitalists, and residents who are participating in this medical/pediatric joint program. The Delaware National Guard will also be deploying personnel to staff the alternative care site.
Nemours’ treatment sites can become operational this week, and will begin providing medical care only once capacity is exceeded within Delaware’s community hospitals. Nemours’ surge sites will remain operational until community hospitals can reabsorb these non-COVID-19 adult patients.
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