Hurricane Helene updates

Despite the challenges we’re facing, Prisma Health is committed to providing care to our patients and the communities we serve.  

Below is important information to help keep you and your family safe. We will update this page as additional information is available.  

Delayed response times 

Due to the high call volume we are experiencing, it may take us longer than normal to respond to your calls. Please be patient and give us time to respond. Coming to one of our Emergency Departments for a non-emergency may only further delay your care. 

Closures 

We will be updating physician practice closures here and on local media outlets. Several Prisma Health Urgent Care locations in the Midlands and Upstate are closed due to power loss. Call before you walk in to ensure the location is open. 

Food Services at Upstate hospitals  

With the delays and interruptions in our community food supplies, we are seeing an increase in community members purchasing large amounts of food from our Upstate dining facilities. Prisma Health is focused on making sure we have adequate food for patients and team members. If you are not visiting a patient, you will not be able to enter the building or purchase food.  

Patients needing assistance with oxygen 

As many home oxygen concentrators require electricity to operate, we are seeing an increase in patients who rely on supplemental oxygen as the power outages persist. We are managing this situation as best we can with our current resources. However, we want to remind patients of the following: 

• Patients can report to one of the medical shelters with their home oxygen concentrators, where accommodations should be available. Please bring chargers for these devices. 
• If a shelter is not accessible, patients can also bring their home oxygen concentrators to the hospital. 
• Our teams are working diligently to assist with this specific need while managing increased patient volumes. 

Pacemakers and defibrillators 

Pacemakers and defibrillators do not need WiFi to function properly. The apps and remote monitoring utilize cellular services and not WiFi. If you are without cellular service, the device will continue to work and will store all alerts until its monitor is back up.  

Clean-up related traumas 

Due to the hurricane, our Emergency Departments are seeing an increased number of traumas related to storm cleanup including injuries from yard equipment and falls. Please use caution. Get clean-up tips from the CDC here.

SC Department of Public Health Care Line  

The SC Department of Public Health (DPH) Care Line is open and can be reached at 855-472-3432 beginning from Friday, Sept. 27, until 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30. DPH will notify residents when the Care Line resumes its regular hours and services. Community members can use this service to help locate resources. 

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning  

As a reminder, as generator use increases, community members must be mindful of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a colorless, odorless and toxic gas. 

According to the CDC, the most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If anyone in your family starts to have symptoms, please get assistance immediately. 

Food poisoning 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items that have not been at a safe temperature (over 4 hours in refrigerator, 24 hours in half full freezer, or 48 hours for full freezer) should be discarded. Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Never taste food to determine its safety. When in doubt, throw it out! Get more food safety tips here.