Erlanger Actively Addressing High Demand & Bed Shortage

CHATTANOOGA,TN, (WDEF)-When driving a car the red gauge mark means you have a full tank but for Erlanger it means they are running out of beds.

Kevin M.Spiegel, Erlanger President,"Erlanger is growing, more patients, more physicians, hiring more doctors, more operations we are running right now in the high 90% census".

However the hospital is tackling the issue head on.

Jan Keys, Chief Nursing Executive,"We are opening up different areas that have been closed for a while that were offices and previously patient care areas, we have opened them up to add additional space".

Keys added they are also making longer term plans to  preventing over crowing this fall.

Jan Keys, Chief Nursing Executive,"Our flu vaccine, we have a greater than 90% almost 100% compliance with our patients, staff and providers in giving that vaccine".

Air traffic controllers are working round the clock to coordinate patients arriving by helicopter by day and night.

Hospital staff say they are also addressing demands in their satellite hospitals throughout the county.

Kevin M.Spiegel, Erlanger President,"No turn down policy so we accept everybody regardless of the ability to pay, we don’t go on diversion because we support our EMS community".

Former Erlanger affiliated hospital Hutcheson Medical Center has confirmed it will close its Labor and Delivery services at the end of this month.