6 Massachusetts Hospitals Announce Ebola Plan
BOSTON (AP) — Six Massachusetts hospitals have formed a collaborative system to handle Ebola patients, even though there have been no Ebola cases in the state and public health officials say the risk is "extremely low."
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The Department of Public Health announced Friday that Baystate Medical Center in Springfield as well Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Tufts Medical Center in Boston would accept transfers from other hospitals in Massachusetts based on existing referral relationships and capacity.
Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett says the collaboration "shows that Massachusetts health care providers are well prepared."
Each of the state's hospitals and their emergency departments are able to screen, identify, and isolate suspected cases, and will coordinate with the state on risk assessment and transfers as needed.
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