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PITTSBURGH – UPMC Children’s Hospital has set up a tent outside its Lawrenceville facility to help treat an influx of patients.
The tent isn’t the most reassuring sight for families in Pittsburgh, but the reality is wait times are high and the emergency room is inundated with COVID cases on top of their usual workload.
The hospital needs to make more space to continue caring for the children.
“I don’t want parents to worry about the tent; I want parents to be reassured, ”said Dr. Ray Pitetti, director of emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital and father of four. “I have been at The Children’s for 26 years now. The volume of patients passing through our emergency rooms has never been greater. We set records, if you will, for a 24 hour volume.
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Between cases of COVID-19 in children – the typical back-to-school viruses and sports injuries – the emergency department is slammed, sometimes with hours of wait. A slowdown is not expected anytime soon.
The 10 bed tent has air conditioning and heating, with all the necessary technology for doctors and nurses. Pitetti says it can be used for COVID-19 testing and less severe cases, but it’s equipped to do it all if needed.
With intensive care beds for children almost non-existent in Allegheny County, according to the state health department’s dashboard, the children’s hospital says parents don’t have to worry .
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“There are times when our units are full. We are able to reorganize the beds or open new units to continue caring for patients, ”said Pitetti.
The children’s hospital also launched a fast-track program in its emergency department this week to help children see doctors faster.
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