Hospitals on Long Island are struggling to increase capacity to accommodate what’s expected to be a wave of coronavirus patients in the coming weeks.
Suffolk and Nassau have more than 5,000 hospital beds. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wants them to double that.
“To get to the 100% mark we are going to have to expand outside the four walls of the hospital.”
David Battinelli is the chief medical officer for Northwell, which has 23 hospitals in the region. He says increasing capacity by the state’s mandated 50% already requires “getting creative with bed space.”
However, even if the space problem can be overcome, the next hurdle is supplies. Carol Gomes, CEO of Stony Brook University, says she has a team coming up with ways to make, conserve, or extend the life of personal protective equipment and other equipment.
“Coming up with different types of designs to use one ventilator and amply if it for the use for three or four other ventilators.”
Gomes adds that while her hospital staff is under extreme pressure and stress, she couldn’t be prouder of their dedication to the long haul.
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