2021-06-09: IU was under full diversion.

When listening to the radio, occasionally we hear that the two hospitals in the Greater Lafayette area, Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health and Indiana University Health Arnett, are on some class (e.g. partial, full, etc.) of diversion.

We had two such events in the last two days.

This made me wonder how this information is documented and disseminated. And now that journey begins.

As a reference:

A hospital may notify the EMS system of a temporary inability to provide care in the emergency department (ED) and request ambulances divert patients to an alternate hospital facility.

A request to divert to another facility may be honored by EMS providers when patient condition and EMS system status allow.

A diversion request does not mean the hospital ED is closed, but usually means the current emergency patient load exceeds the Emergency Department’s ability to treat additional patients promptly.

If the patient’s condition is unstable and the hospital requesting diversion is the closest appropriate hospital, ambulance service personnel should notify the hospital of the patient’s condition and to expect the patient’s arrival. This procedure should also be followed when a patient demands transport to a facility on diversion.

A hospital declaring diversionary status for EMS patients is simply a request for EMS to consider an alternate hospital destination. The hospital may not refuse care for a patient presented to their facility and is subject to EMTALA rules and regulations.Now the journey begins to see what we can find out.

Indiana Department of Homeland Security: Guidance for Hospitals and EMS for Ambulance Diversion Requests