About an hour before Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the New Jersey coast on Monday evening, Oct. 29, Al Campanella, Virtua Health’s CIO and executive vice president of strategic business growth and analytics, contacted us at Healthcare Informatics to give a status report. Virtua, based in Marlton, N.J., operates four hospitals in Berlin, Marlton, Mount Holly and Voorhees, N.J., as well as a satellite emergency department facility outside of Philadelphia, which are pretty much in the direct path of the hurricane as it made its way inland.
“We’ve been weathering the storm well,” Campanella said. Virtua, which is located about 60 miles from Atlantic City, N.J., not far from where the storm made landfall, has not seen flooding. Campanella said the Virtua made provisions for additional staff, with accommodations to stay overnight so they will be well rested for their shifts. Emergency room power is in good shape, and the hospitals have their own power supply, he said.
A small number of area residents have come to the hospital asking for shelter during the storm. Virtua operates two nursing home and long-term care facilities, which have continued to operate. Virtua closed its outpatient facilities at noon on Monday and will keep them closed on Tuesday. The physician offices have been closed as well.
