Reston Hospital Center Says Its Prepared for COVID-19

As hospitals around the region attempt to manage the number of beds and available equipment to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Reston Hospital Center says emergency planning began weeks ago.

Currently, RHC, which is part of the HCA Virginia Health System, has sufficient bed capacity, staff, and supplies. As the situation evolved, the hospital center has also developed a staff contingency plan, including the use of HCA Healthcare’s in-house staffing agency, said Todd McGovern, the hospital’s director of marketing and communications.

Virginia has roughly 17,469 beds, 69 percent of which are occupied, according to data from the Harvard Global Health Institute. Over the next six months, the institute estimates hospitals in the state will need more than triple the number of beds that are currently available.

Reston Hospital Center has 231 beds. Because occupancy varies daily, the hospital did not provide current capacity when asked by Reston Now.

McGovern also noted the hospital has the ability to add additional bed capacity in the hospital, if needed.

“Reston Hospital Center has well-established protocols in place to care for patients with infectious diseases, and our emergency planning efforts related to COVID-19 started weeks ago. We are working in partnership with local and state health departments and the CDC, and continue to monitor the situation closely,” he wrote in a statement.

Earlier this month, hospital staff began screening visitors and patients to protect the hospital and community.

“We also continue to work closely with state and local health departments and the CDC.”

Photo via Reston Hospital Center