Texas Hospitals Offer Tips Amid Beryl Aftermath

AUSTIN, Texas (July 9, 2024) – People in and around Houston affected by Hurricane Beryl who need electricity for medical needs, such as dialysis or oxygen, should go to cooling centers in the area before seeking hospital emergency rooms. Patients or their loved ones needing to find an electricity source for dialysis, oxygen or other medical needs can find a list of local cooling centers here from the Houston Chronicle.

Texas hospitals encourage the public to consider these tips amid Hurricane Beryl’s aftermath.

1. Seek cooling stations. Hospital emergency departments are for medical emergencies. Hospitals are not equipped to provide mass shelter and electricity to non-patients. People should follow local guidance and seek cooling shelters.
2. Call ahead. Call ahead or check hospital websites or social media to determine hospital hours and clinic closures.
3. Be patient. Be patient with frontline hospital workers. Staffing may be limited as employees recover from personal storm damage or health and safety issues. Hospital resources may be limited in the days following Hurricane Beryl.
4. Consider virtual care. Patients may want to consider virtual appointments for minor medical and non-emergency health needs. Consult your regular health care provider for guidance.
5. Use caution. Avoid extreme heat and other hazards, such as flooded areas and downed power lines. Follow post-hurricane safety guidance and heat safety tips from state health officials.

While there have been sporadic reports of power, wind and water issues impacting some area hospitals, there have been no reports of significant damage and no reports of compromised patient care. Hospitals brought their emergency planning and response command centers online before the storm and have monitored the storm’s movement. Area hospitals made decisions in advance about how to shuffle patient placement if needed and followed procedures to ensure the storm didn’t interrupt medical services.

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THA Contact: Carrie Williams

Texas Hospital Association
Founded in 1930, the Texas Hospital Association is the leadership organization and principal advocate for the state’s hospitals and health care systems. Based in Austin, THA enhances its members’ abilities to improve accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Texans. One of the largest hospital associations in the country, THA represents more than 85% of the state’s acute-care hospitals and health care systems, which employ some 400,000 health care professionals statewide. Learn more about THA at www.tha.org or follow THA on Twitter at https://twitter.com/texashospitals.