CHARLOTTE — Atrium Health has announced it will be deploying its MED-1 mobile hospital to Tryon, North Carolina, to help those affected by Tropical Storm Helene.
Activated by the state, MED-1 will serve as a receiving hospital where it can triage, treat, and either discharge or transport a patient to another hospital if more critical care is needed.
The hospital said the mobile hospital is designed to deliver comprehensive patient care on-site at disaster locations, mass casualty incidents, or community events.
It is the first of its kind globally and can be ready for deployment within 24 hours of activation and be fully operational within a few hours of arrival.’
The manager of the program, Bryan Sutton, said they are prepared to take all kinds of patients.
“They’ll be transporting patients in that they pluck off the side of a mountain. To patients brought in via EMS and also local walk-ins as well,” Sutton explained.
MED-1 is self-sustaining for up to 72 hours and includes digital x-rays, ultrasounds, labs, pharmacies, 14 acute care beds, a 2-bed operating room, and more.
The mobile hospital is composed of nearly a dozen vehicles, including an emergency department, supply trucks, satellite trailers, dormitory trailers, and other essential equipment vehicles.
Health said the unit is supported by a team of professionals, including nurses, doctors, trauma surgeons, paramedics, and other essential staff.
Channel 9 spoke with David Callaway, one of the physicians heading to Western North Carolina to work in the emergency department of the mobile hospital.
He said it’s something he has done often, and taking care on the road is quite an honor.
“I will do whatever is needed. If I need to carry MREs and water, I will carry MREs and water,” Callaway elaborated. “Anytime that we can get closer to people in need, it’s better for us; it’s better for them.”
The MED-1 mobile hospital departed from Charlotte on Tuesday morning.
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