Dive Brief:
- Texas Governor Rick Perry announced in a news conference on Tuesday that two separate Ebola treatment facilities would be open and available for use beginning Wednesday: One housed in the Methodist Campus for Continuing Care in Richardson, TX and one in the UT Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. "This allows us to react quickly to limit this virus' reach," Perry said.
- The Richardson facility is a collaborative effort. UT Southwestern Medical Center will provide physicians and nurses and Parkland Hospital will provide nurses, pharmacists and lab techs as well as equipment. Following diagnosis of the patient, the facility will need six hours to prepare for his or her arrival.
- The Galveston facility has 10 beds, and will initially care for two patients.
Dive Insight:
Texas Health Presbyterian, the hospital that initially failed to diagnosis Thomas Eric Duncan with the virus, will not be involved in the new Richardson facility. According to Perry, "That hospital has been on the front line. They have paid a fairly heavy price if you will. To give them some relief if you will is very important." Although Perry emphasized that the hospital will share knowledge with the new partnership, it's likely that the threat of possible legal action against the hospital for its release of Duncan is a factor.