Services still suspended at Greeneville Community, Sycamore Shoals hospitals

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Services are still suspended at Greeneville Community Hospital and Sycamore Shoals Hospital after historic flooding hit the Tri-Cities region, according to Ballad Health.

As of Monday morning, the emergency departments at both hospitals were still open for local, incoming patients. However, inpatients at both hospitals had previously been evacuated.

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On Friday, Sycamore Shoals Hospital evacuated 39 inpatients and transferred them to other hospitals in the Ballad Health system.

Inpatients at Greeneville Community Hospital were evacuated on Saturday due to water supply issues. Ballad announced on Sunday that all inpatients had successfully been transferred to the Holston Valley Medical Center.

Emergency obstetric (OB) services are still being provided at Greeneville Community Hospital for patients who are in active labor or have an emergency situation. However, anyone who is scheduled to be induced should call their physician and arrange care at another hospital.

Ballad also announced that 33 patients at Laughlin Healthcare Center in Greeneville had successfully been transferred to Wexford House in Kingsport as of Sunday. The Laughlin Healthcare Center will stay closed until the water supply in Greeneville is stable.

Previously, Ballad suspended elective surgeries across the system as it addressed the natural disaster. Elective procedures resumed on Monday at Ballad facilities that are able to perform them. The hospital system will contact patients if procedures need to be rescheduled.

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The Unicoi County Hospital was the site of a rooftop rescue on Friday as floodwaters from the Nolichucky River overtook the facility. More than 50 people were rescued by helicopter. Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine told News Channel 11 in a live interview that he did not see how the hospital could be salvageable.

The patients rescued from Unicoi County Hospital were transferred to the Johnson City Medical Center.

Ballad stated in the Sunday news release that it would work with employees impacted by the flooding.

“We recognize that some team members are unable to work due to personal circumstances or the suspension of some of our service operations, so we will work to ensure team members are paid their scheduled hours,” Ballad stated.

Phone and network outages had previously caused problems at some Ballad facilities; however, the hospital system stated on Sunday that all incoming and outgoing calls were working again and all network connectivity was restored except in Unicoi County.

A complete list of Ballad Health’s suspended services can be found online by clicking here.

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