Atlanta Airport Debuts First Onsite Triage Clinic in the US

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport, has opened the nation’s first onsite triage clinic, hoping to reduce the number of people transported to emergency rooms. The clinic, located in the domestic terminal, is staffed by paramedics and nurses who can provide medical support and diagnosis for travelers, employees, and visitors.

The clinic is a partnership between the airport, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, and Grady Health System. It aims to improve the response time and quality of care for medical emergencies at the airport, which handles more than 100 million passengers a year. The clinic can also help ease the burden on local hospitals, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In addition to providing low-acuity medical support, the center can do high-level diagnosis using point-of-care blood testing, ultrasounds and cardiac monitoring,” Fire Chief Rod Smith said in a press release. “This will allow us to quickly determine if someone needs to be transported to an emergency room or if they can be treated onsite and released.”

The clinic is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can handle up to four patients at a time. It is equipped with four beds, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and telemedicine capabilities. It can also provide Covid-19 testing and vaccinations for eligible individuals.

The airport plans to open another triage clinic at the international terminal in the future. The airport hopes that the clinics will enhance the safety and comfort of its customers and staff, as well as showcase its innovation and leadership in the aviation industry.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport