U.S. Field Hospitals Stand Down, Most Without Treating Any COVID-19 Patients

[PigsDad]

Two-thirds of a billion US dollars. But thankfully we never came close to overrunning our medical care capacity.

U.S. Field Hospitals Stand Down, Most Without Treating Any COVID-19 Patients

Across the U.S., convention centers and empty fields were transformed into emergency field hospitals at a cost to federal taxpayers of more than $660 million. Most haven't treated a single patient.

www.npr.org

Kurt

 

[silentg]

Two-thirds of a billion US dollars. But thankfully we never came close to overrunning our medical care capacity.

U.S. Field Hospitals Stand Down, Most Without Treating Any COVID-19 Patients

Across the U.S., convention centers and empty fields were transformed into emergency field hospitals at a cost to federal taxpayers of more than $660 million. Most haven't treated a single patient.

www.npr.org

Kurt

Hoping this pandemic is over soon

 

[pianodinosaur]

I remember that Jimmy Carter was going to save us all from the swine flu. Everyone in the military had to be given a swine flu vaccination. During that time I did not see a single case of swine flu. However, I saw three cases of Guillianne-Barre as a severe complication of the swine flu vaccine. The older I get the more difficult it is for me to distinguish between science fact and science fiction. This is made even more difficult when the press gets involved.

 

[Blues]

Two-thirds of a billion US dollars. But thankfully we never came close to overrunning our medical care capacity.

U.S. Field Hospitals Stand Down, Most Without Treating Any COVID-19 Patients

Across the U.S., convention centers and empty fields were transformed into emergency field hospitals at a cost to federal taxpayers of more than $660 million. Most haven't treated a single patient.

www.npr.org

Kurt

This counts as a definite win in my book...

 

[PigsDad]

This counts as a definite win in my book...

A win in that the disease has not affected as many people as feared, but this shows how poor the initial models were. If they were better, perhaps we could have saved the bulk of the $660 million that was wasted. It makes me question if the models that they are using now as input for decisions have improved at all, or if we are going to be making similar decisions that will end up wasting addition resources at the same scale (or larger).

Kurt

 

[bbodb1]

I may be looking at this a bit differently, but given the fact that we actually went through the process of setting up these field hospitals should teach us some lessons for the next time they are needed. Hopefully, we could be a lot faster in the set up of field hospitals if we need them again in the future.

 

[WVBaker]

A win in that the disease has not affected as many people as feared, but this shows how poor the initial models were. If they were better, perhaps we could have saved the bulk of the $660 million that was wasted. It makes me question if the models that they are using now as input for decisions have improved at all, or if we are going to be making similar decisions that will end up wasting addition resources at the same scale (or larger).

Kurt

Even the "experts" like Dr. Anthony Fauci can make errors it seems. 240,000 deaths? Possible, but quite a ways to go.

 

[PigsDad]

I may be looking at this a bit differently, but given the fact that we actually went through the process of setting up these field hospitals should teach us some lessons for the next time they are needed. Hopefully, we could be a lot faster in the set up of field hospitals if we need them again in the future.

I guess that is possible, but only if they make an effort to capture the lessons learned and preserve those somehow, as I doubt the same people will be around. Are they storing all of the supplies and equipment from these field hospitals that are being torn down? And if they do store it, will it be in a usable state at a time in the future when we might need it again, or will it all just rot away in some warehouse?

Kurt

 

[MrockStar]

Why ? people don't like the Hospital Ships and the brave military doctors, nurses and sailors who risk there lives to save others army the highly skilled combat trained medics and engineers who worked night and day to set up the Javits center and TCF center in Detroit.

 

[moonstone]

There is one going up at our local hospital in Barrie Ontario. The hospital administration believes that the 2nd wave of COVID19 will be worse than the first so they are preparing now for it. The 'tent' will be used for screening possible cases so people don't need to enter the building possibly bringing germs in with them. If and when there are a lot of cases the sick will be housed in the 'tent'. It will have all the features as a regular ICU room including oxygen and ventilators and a dedicated staff to work in there.

~Diane

 

[Monykalyn]

I guess that is possible, but only if they make an effort to capture the lessons learned and preserve those somehow, as I doubt the same people will be around. Are they storing all of the supplies and equipment from these field hospitals that are being torn down? And if they do store it, will it be in a usable state at a time in the future when we might need it again, or will it all just rot away in some warehouse?

Kurt

This is my question too-now that the lessons learned of how to build and how long it takes-How to store and efficiently access the equipment, who is checking it regularly etc? It's clear that CDC/FEMA are worthless. Maybe the states can form their coalition to take care of their region. And hospitals DO need surge capacity-even a bad flu season have hospitals over run in some areas (the national media just doesn't report on it daily)

 

[Brett]

This is my question too-now that the lessons learned of how to build and how long it takes-How to store and efficiently access the equipment, who is checking it regularly etc? It's clear that CDC/FEMA are worthless. Maybe the states can form their coalition to take care of their region. And hospitals DO need surge capacity-even a bad flu season have hospitals over run in some areas (the national media just doesn't report on it daily)

it's such a shame the CDC and FEMA are now 'worthless'

We get hurricanes every year, hope FEMA is still around

 

[Monykalyn]

it's such a shame the CDC and FEMA are now 'worthless'

We get hurricanes every year, hope FEMA is still around

Right? It is tornado season, and the storms get worse every year-F4-5 used to be rarer occurrences, now several every year. Along with more severe storms and straight line winds that can rip roofs off.

 

[wilma]

This is my question

It's clear that CDC/FEMA are worthless.

Really, and what is you area of expertise?

 

[Monykalyn]

Really, and what is you area of expertise?

Really and what is your facts for saying they handled things well? CDC changing guidelines? Inept distribution of supplies? Not maintaining WORKING emergency stockpile of PPE/equipment? Look at FEMA response to Katrina (still a disaster all these years later). How is Puerto Rico doing with FEMA aid? -it's NOT. Why isn't CDC/FEMA leading the way on analyzing data, and distributing PPE instead of COMPETING with individual governors?
My expertise? I read lots of news stories. Not the happy propaganda of "beautiful tests for everyone who wants one"

 

[wilma]

Really and what is your facts for saying they handled things well? CDC changing guidelines? Inept distribution of supplies? Not maintaining WORKING emergency stockpile of PPE/equipment? Look at FEMA response to Katrina (still a disaster all these years later). How is Puerto Rico doing with FEMA aid? -it's NOT. Why isn't CDC/FEMA leading the way on analyzing data, and distributing PPE instead of COMPETING with individual governors?
My expertise? I read lots of news stories. Not the happy propaganda of "beautiful tests for everyone who wants one"

They are not worthless, the buck stops at the top.

 

[Brett]

They are not worthless, the buck stops at the top.

OK, I still say I want FEMA around when the big one hits
(Virginia Beach)