GREENSBORO, N.C. — After almost a year, Cone Health is closing its COVID patient-only hospital at the Green Valley campus.
As COVID hospitalizations continue to stabilize and decline across the state and right here in the Triad, Cone Health says it is now able to move its COVID patients to four other hospitals - Alamance Regional Medical Center, Annie Penn Hospital, Moses Cone Hospital and Wesley Long Hospital.
The closure of the Green Valley campus will happen Friday, March 5th.
“We certainly don’t want people to get the wrong impression that the pandemic is over. It is not time to throw away the masks. While we are in a different situation from one year ago, we must continue to remain vigilant in all our efforts to prevent the spread of this dangerous disease,” says Mary Jo Cagle, MD, chief operating officer, Cone Health.
After Women's Hospital moved out of the Green Valley site a year ago, the hospital was quickly outfitted as a COVID-only facility to handle the expected surge of people needing ventilators and intensive care. The 116-bed facility opened April 13 and became the centerpiece for Cone Health's response to the pandemic, especially as patient numbers peaked around the holidays.
“That building was a godsend,” says Brent McQuaid, MD, chief medical officer, Green Valley campus. “By putting most of our COVID-19 patients in one building, we were able to use less PPE when it was hard to get. We also became real experts at treating COVID-19. Many of the lessons learned are allowing us to close the inpatient facility.”
More than 4,700 people with COVID-19 have been treated at Cone Health. Most of them were cared for at the Green Valley campus.
“I am so thankful that we were able to save many, many lives here. I am proud of the work of our team, and this team will continue to provide exceptional care at our other hospitals,” says McQuaid. “But I am always mindful of the many people we lost here. Please adhere to the 3Ws and get the vaccine when offered. Closing the Green Valley campus is another step on the journey to the pandemic’s end. But we aren’t there yet.”