COVID-19 UPDATE: Ballad Health proactively designates Lonesome Pine Hospital as Wise Co. regional COVID-19 Hospital
In an abundance of caution, in anticipation of potential community need, and due to the positive COVID-19 case reported in Big Stone Gap, Va., Ballad Health is moving aggressively to implement a regional COVID-19 surge plan for Wise County, Virginia – a move that can benefit and protect the entire region served by Ballad Health’s Wise County services.
Lonesome Pine Hospital will be designated as the Wise County COVID-19 treatment and quarantine facility. This move will ensure acute care patients who can be treated in a community hospital will be served in a facility focused on their needs, while other patients with health care needs not related to COVID-19 will be treated at Norton Community Hospital. If any patients present with more serious needs than can be served locally, they will be treated at Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Bristol Regional Medical Center in Bristol, or Johnson City Medical Center in Johnson City.
The emergency room at Lonesome Pine Hospital will remain open, however, all non-COVID-19, acute care, surgical and obstetric services currently provided by Lonesome Pine Hospital will immediately be moved to Norton Community Hospital in order to ensure proper focus on local resources. Patients needing surgery and labor/delivery services will receive their care at Norton Community Hospital.
“Our teams at Lonesome Pine and Norton Community Hospital are committed to caring for our neighbors here in Wise County,” said Mark Leonard, Ballad Health VP and CEO of Wise and Dickenson Counties. “But being part of the Ballad Health network gives us the ability to rely on three high quality, nationally recognized referral facilities for support in Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol. Our community is blessed to have such resources at our disposal.”
Ballad Health has already implemented scheduling recommendations for non-emergent surgery cases across all facilities, including Lonesome Pine Hospital.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 are advised to call 833-822-5523.
Additional information regarding Ballad Health’s COVID-19 efforts can be found on our COVID-19 page.
