Hospital Closes and Transfers Patients Awaiting Hurricane Ike

East Houston Regional Medical Center (EHRMC), a campus of Bayshore Medical Center is now closed and is on full divert status in preparation for the impending hurricane scheduled to hit the Houston Gulf Coast Area early Saturday morning.

All hospital departments, including the Emergency Room are closed until after the storm.

All inpatients have been transported to sister facilities located in areas with a higher elevation and less likely to be affected by excessive flooding. These facilities include Bayshore Medical Center, West Houston Medical Center and The Woman’s Hospital of Texas.

"We want our patients to be safe. The storm surge has caused the neighboring bayous to flood before the rain even started. After consulting with local emergency officials, the decision was made to transfer patients at 4:00 pm. All patients were transported safely and placed in a facility that can handle their medical care until the hurricane passes," said Jeff Holland, Chief Executive Officer of EHRMC.

Family members have been notified of the temporary arrangements, along with the contact information for the facility to which their loved one was transferred. Information about transferred patients is available by calling 713-359-1002.

Employees of East Houston Regional Medical Center should call the Employee Information Line at 713-393-2999 or visit the hospital’s website to find out information about returning to work after the hurricane.

The hospital will reopen its doors based upon a facility assessment after the hurricane passes. Local news media will be provided with an update on the status of the facility.

East Houston Regional Medical Center, a campus of Bayshore Medical Center is a 131-bed acute care hospital located at 13111 East Freeway, Houston, TX 77015. For more information about this facility, visit www.easthoustonrmc.com.