Houston Healthcare sets up medical tents for COVID-19 patients

Houston Healthcare is preparing for a potential surge of COVID-19 patients.

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Houston healthcare is preparing for a potential surge in covid-19 patients.

Houston county has the most confirmed cases in middle georgia at 47.

But staff members say... they're anticipating even more.

41nbc's tanya modersitzki found out how... medical tents will help the hospital ... handle the influx of patients.

Houston healthcare is ready to take on more covid-19 patients and do its part to flatten the curve.

The houston medical center constructed five medical tents.

"we are expecting things to progress because we are expecting a surge as governor kemp announced yesterday so we're ready for it in our er when those patients start coming in it will give us more room to expand."

Vice president and c-o-o of houston healthcare, melinda hartley, says before patients can step foot into the e-r, they'll be screened at one of the tents to decide if they can go inside ..

Or elsewhere.

"depending on their symptoms, if they have chest pain they will immediately go inside into our regular hospital but if they have a low acuity they wold go to the appropriate tent for treatment."

Hartley says with governor kemp's stay at home orders announced wednesday, she knows her medical staff are essential, so they'll continue to follow cdc guidelines.

"we as employees still need to be doing the social distancing making sure we wash our hands a lot that we stay six feet a part c1 3 b13 and dont gather in large crowds.

We're working to do that inside the hospital."

Navicent health and coliseum medical centers say... they hope the stay at home order will flatten the curve.