With record cold temperatures predicted for Wednesday, Chicago-area hospital systems are making plans to keep people warm and help those who will inevitably fall victim to the icy weather.
Many hospitals are preparing for potential influxes of patients with frostbite and hypothermia.
With wind chills expected to drop to as low as 44 degrees below zero Tuesday night, people can quickly get frostbite if their bare skin is exposed for even a short time, said Dr. Adam Black, medical director at the emergency department of Amita Health Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center.
Those at risk include commuters, homeless people and those whose perception of the cold may be altered, for instance, by alcohol, he said.
“When you’re talking about wind chills like this, it can happen in minutes,” Black said.
Loyola University Medical Center is prepping to potentially see more frostbite and hypothermia patients Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as a second wave in the days that follow, said Dr. Art Sanford, associate professor of surgery at the center.
It’s not unusual for frostbite patients to appear at the hospital days after they first experience problems, he said. Patients sometimes don’t recognize the seriousness of their injuries until after the fact, he said.
“Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t come to the hospital fast enough, and so we see people a day or two later, with already irreversible damage to their affected areas,” Sanford said.
The forecast has prompted area health systems to focus on preventing frostbite and hypothermia. Loyola began speeding up patient discharges on Monday, in hopes of getting patients home before the worst of the weather hit.
“Everyone who is ready to go home is being discharged as soon as possible,” said Karen Anderson, Loyola Medicine vice president and chief nursing officer, in a statement Monday.
Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center recently held a cold weather clothing drive so it can send patients – who may have arrived at the hospital in warmer weather — home with proper attire, Black said.
Hospital staffers will also ask patients if they have heated places to go before they leave. “Now’s not a time to be too proud to admit you need help,” Black said.
Mount Sinai and Holy Cross hospitals’ emergency departments will function as warming centers for community members, complete with free coffee and hot chocolate, said Sinai Health System spokesman Dan Regan, in an email.
University of Chicago Medicine is reaching out to patients with clinic appointments during the cold weather to see if they’d like to reschedule their visits. It will also accommodate employees who wish to stay overnight during the worst of the weather, said spokeswoman Ashley Heher, in an email.
Other hospitals are hoping patients take advantage of technology to avoid the frigid temps.
Rush University Medical Center is reminding patients that they can get care for certain non-emergency conditions without leaving their homes, via “e-visits,” which are consultations conducted electronically.
Patients who’ve seen Rush providers in the past three years can log into their MyChart accounts, fill out an online questionnaire and, within an hour, get a message back with a diagnosis and treatment plan. E-visits are available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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