Second Intermountain Healthcare COVID-19 Response Team Departs Salt Lake City to Provide Support to New York City Hospitals

A second team of caregivers from Intermountain Healthcare left Salt Lake City Thursday, this time to assist New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City in caring for patients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Intermountain team, comprised of approximately 50 caregivers, will serve for a maximum of 14 days before returning to Utah. These voluntary teams are made up of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other caregivers.

Earlier this week, a similar Intermountain team departed Utah to help with the Northwell Health system at two of its hospitals in Queens, New York.

Both New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Northwell Health will aim to return the favor by supporting Intermountain as much as they can when Utah faces its own surge of COVID-19 patients.
Hundreds of Intermountain clinicians recently expressed interest in providing assistance to states facing major surges in COVID-19 cases that are also currently experiencing severe staffing shortages. 

“I’m incredibly proud that so many of our caregivers want to help others in need, and we have the capacity right now to share our staff with others in the middle of their COVID-19 surge,” said Paul Krakovitz, MD, Intermountain Healthcare’s chief medical officer for specialty based care. “Not only will they provide care for patients in New York, they will bring back knowledge and experience to share with their Utah colleagues that will help us serve Utah patients.”

Experts anticipate that Utah’s COVID-19 surge will happen in May or June, so caregivers will be back to the Intermountain service area when help is needed most.

Those interested in following these two Intermountain Healthcare teams while they are in New York City can find regular updates at the Intermountain stands with New York blog.