Emergency System Updates for Sept. 29, 2024

HURRICANE HELENE UPDATES

For the most up-to-date information about modified hours and location closings visit our inclement weather page.

Ballad Health’s Corporate Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) remains active due to ongoing issues caused by severe weather throughout the region. Flooding, high winds and power outages continue to create problems throughout the Appalachian Highlands.

Please see below for the most current list of system updates:

Greeneville Community Hospital (GCH) services to remain suspended

• Inpatient transfers to Holston Valley Medical Center have been successfully completed.
• All services remain suspended at Greeneville Community Hospital except for those provided in the emergency department.
• Emergency obstetric (OB) services are still being provided for patients who are in active labor or have an emergent situation.
• Patients who have a scheduled induction at GCH should call their physician to receive care at another hospital.
• Patients experiencing an emergency may still come to the hospital’s emergency department.

Laughlin Healthcare Center 

• Thirty-three patients were successfully evacuated from Laughlin Healthcare Center in Greeneville to Wexford House in Kingsport.
• Patients’ families have been notified.
• Laughlin Healthcare Center will remain closed until water supply in the town stabilizes.

Elective procedures to resume where possible

• Elective procedures will resume on Monday, Sept. 30 at facilities that are able to perform them.
• Patients will be contacted in the event their procedure needs to be rescheduled.

Inclement weather policy update 

• We recognize that some team members are unable to work due to personal circumstances or the suspension of some of our service operations, so we will work to ensure team members are paid their scheduled hours.
• Because we have relocated some of our patient population to other facilities, we will require some displaced staff to redeploy to other facilities within Ballad Health. We are working to get displaced staff assigned as quickly as possible.
• We will continue to assess the emergency operation and provide periodic updates within CEOC memos.

Canceled classes

All classes scheduled for Sept. 30 will be canceled, including:

• Clinical Education
• AHA
• Organizational Development
• Epic Education
• New team member onboarding classes will continue as scheduled.
• Questions should be directed to management.

Greeneville, Lebanon Center for Early Learning (CEL) suspends services

• The Greeneville Center for Early Learning will be suspending services local utilities stabilize.
• CEL staff are being redeployed to other childcare centers.
• Ballad Health is working to accommodate childcare needs for team members.
• Team members who need childcare assistance should contact Pam Smith at Pam.Smith@BalladHealth.org.

Ballad Health Medical Associates (BHMA) services updates in Greene County

BHMA Urgent Care in Greeneville will be open on Monday, Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Several Greeneville BHMA clinics will be closed Monday, Sept 30 due to utility outages in Greeneville. The clinics that will close include:

• BHMA Family Medicine, Greeneville
• BHMA Family Medicine, Greeneville West
• BHMA Pediatrics, Greeneville
• BHMA Family Medicine Internal Medicine, Greeneville North
• BHMA Internal Medicine and Weight Management, Greeneville
   
• 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care and Telehealth options are available online at www.BalladHealth.org/telehealth.
• Teams are installing portable bathrooms outside of BHMA offices in Greene County due utility outages.

Ballad Health Medical Associates

• Except for Greene and Unicoi Counties, all BHMA offices will be open beginning Monday, Sept. 30.
• Patients should contact their physician’s office if they are unable to come to their appointments.

Phone system, network resumes operation

• All inbound and external phone service is now fully operational. Please report any issues to 423-431-6290.
• The behavioral health crisis Respond Hotline, which was inoperable on Saturday, is now operational at 423-431-6050.
• Network connectivity has been restored and should be consistent throughout the Ballad Health system, except in Unicoi County.

Retail Pharmacy

• Patients who need access to medications displaced in the weather emergency should first try to contact their practitioner’s office.
• If their practitioner is unavailable, the Johnson City Medical Center retail pharmacy location is open today and can be reached at 423-431-2140.

Safety advisory

• Those under a boil water advisory should follow boil water directives.
• Team members and members of the public are not to be on Unicoi County Hospital property as it is deemed unsafe.
• The facility is experiencing a propane leak, which makes being in or around the building extremely unsafe.
• Emergency service professionals have advised to let the leak dissipate.
• Security is onsite 24 hours a day.
• Be aware that floodwater can contain sewage, and eating or drinking anything contaminated by floodwater can cause diarrheal disease (such as E. coli or salmonella infection).
• Wash your hands after contact with floodwater.

Team member assistance 

• Team members who need assistance should first reach out to HR.
• HR will route team members to the most appropriate avenue for assistance.
• HR is prepared to coordinate financial needs, referrals to the Employee Assistance Program or community needs assistance.
• Anyone wishing to help can go online to make donations to various assistance funds.
• The Ballad Health Team Member Emergency Fund is accepting donations that will benefit team members affected by the disaster.
• Additionally, during the PTO cash-in process, team members may cash in PTO hours to be designated for the Team Member Emergency Fund.
• The Patient Assistance Fund will benefit patients who have financial needs.
• The Disaster Relief Fund will allocate resources for the community.
• All three relief funds can be accessed online at www.BalladHealth.org/foundation/donate-online.

Barrels will be placed in the lobbies of all Ballad Health hospitals near each Gift Shop to take donated goods.

Donated items being accepted include:

• Bottled water
• Cleaning equipment
• New bedding, clothing, socks and shoes
• Nonperishable food

Event cancelations, later dates to be identified

• Recovery Symposium originally scheduled for Sept. 30.
• Niswonger Children’s Hospital steel-topping ceremony and pediatric subspeciality open house, originally scheduled for Oct. 4.
• Ribbon-cutting event for the Abingdon Center for Early Learning scheduled for Oct. 8.
• Greeneville Community Hospital Friend Raiser scheduled for Oct. 17.

Questions

For questions, please contact the Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center at BalladhealthcorporateEOC@balladhealth.org.