Durham, N.C.-based Duke Health is preparing for a potential influx of COVID-19 patients, which'll see the health system undergo a series of transformations, Indy Week reports.
What you should know:
1. Duke Health has a plan that can add 500 beds to the system's three hospitals and increase its bed count to more than 2,000 beds.
2. Administration has focused on converting its outpatient locations, including its ASC, to accommodate COVID-19 patients.
3. Duke has postponed elective procedures and pivoted to telemedicine to provide nonessential visits.
4. Despite its precautions, Duke fears it could run low on medical supplies, including personal protective equipment. The hospital's staff is working to secure more PPE going forward. Duke is also accepting community donations.
5. Concerning testing, Duke is using a mix of commercial laboratory tests and its own in-house test.
6. The biggest thing the health system recommended was for people to stay home and only seek care if symptoms became severe.