After mandatory evacuations in South Carolina, Florida and Georgia, Atlanta-area hospitals are ready to accept patients from areas affected by Hurricane Matthew.
Six patients from South Carolina have been transferred to WellStar Atlanta Medical Center and WellStar Atlanta Medical Center South, said Tyler Pearson, director of public relations for WellStar Health System.
Kim Ryan, president of Atlanta Medical Center, led Tulane Medical Center’s efforts in 2005, evacuating all patients during Hurricane Katrina. Ryan said she’s prepared to be on the receiving end this time around.
Throughout the storm, Atlanta Medical Center will assess which patients can be discharged early to make room for evacuating patients from coastal Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.
Atlanta Medical Center and other hospitals report the number of available beds to the State Operations Center.
At Grady Memorial Hospital, no patients have been transferred yet, but a spokesperson said the hospital is ready to accept patients from areas affected by the storm.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal ordered the evacuation of nearly 500,000 Georgia residents in preparation for Hurricane Matthew on Thursday.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley ordered four counties, including Charleston, to evacuate. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Florida.
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