Skip Navigation

In the face of catastrophe, the ability to provide medical care is more important than ever. When hospitals or communities become overwhelmed, Atrium Health Mobile Emergency Department (MED-1) is there. It’s a flexible resource designed to provide the highest level of patient care where it’s needed.

Since its first deployment in 2005, Atrium Health MED-1 has saved lives, delivered babies and helped communities in crisis. This first-of-its-kind mobile hospital unit can be used to temporarily replace or support a hospital emergency department during a:

  • Disaster (e.g., fire, flood, hurricane)
  • Hospital renovation
  • Mass gathering (e.g., sporting event, large community clinic)
  • Pandemic, including COVID-19 testing and surge relief

When catastrophes or large-scale incidents happen, the need for surge relief can be very real and last for weeks. Based in Charlotte, NC, Atrium Health MED-1 will be there right away to help provide care seamlessly.

Contact Atrium Health MED-1

For more information about Atrium Health MED-1, email MED1Admin@AtriumHealth.org

For 24-hour emergency response, call 800-421-9195 and request activation of Atrium Health MED-1.

Atrium Health MED-1 Gallery

Deployments

Community service events/mass gatherings

  • Democratic National Convention (Charlotte, NC)
  • Community dental clinic (Charlotte, NC)
  • Heart of a Champion Day (Various locations in NC)
  • NASCAR at Eldora Speedway (New Weston, OH)
  • PGA (Charlotte, NC)
  • World Equestrian Games (Mills Springs, NC)
  • 2017 UCI BMX World Championships (Rock Hill, SC)

COVID-19 pandemic response

  • Atrium Health Pineville (Charlotte, NC)
  • City of Rock Hill, SC

Disaster relief

  • Fire
    • Haywood, NC
  • Flood
    • Burgaw, NC
    • Columbus, IN
    • Lumberton, NC
  • Hurricane
    • New Orleans, LA (Hurricane Katrina)

Emergency department renovation

  • Grove Hill, AL
  • Phoenix, AZ

Surge relief

  • Atrium Health Navicent (Macon, GA)
  • Democratic National Convention (Charlotte, NC)
  • Grady Health System (Atlanta, GA)

Atrium Health MED-1 capabilities

  • Travels as two 53-foot tractor trailers, with support vehicles
  • Can be operational within 30 minutes of arrival
  • Is completely self-sustaining for the first 72 hours, using generators or local shore power
  • Maintains 72 hours of emergency department supplies
  • Includes 1,000-square-foot patient care component, equipped and staffed to manage minor to severe emergency medical conditions
  • Offers full operative trauma surgery, intensive medical care and anesthetic capabilities
  • Has 6 critical care beds, including 2 isolated beds where surgical procedures may be performed
  • Has emergency department acute care beds and dental/EENT chair
  • Offers specialized equipment, including a Panda Warmer ™ for treatment of the neonatal population
  • Equipped with satellite, cellular and radio capabilities

The following capabilities can also be deployed if needed:

  • Shower/laundry truck
  • Dormitory facilities (44-foot and 20-foot equipment trailers, plus tow vehicles)
  • Maintenance truck (ambulance-sized vehicle)
  • Vehicle for towing
  • SUV for staff transportation

Atrium Health MED-1 physical requirements

  • Hard surface: A concrete pad is best. Asphalt can sometimes be acceptable, as long as it’s not fresh asphalt.
  • Space: The footprint of the hospital only – without the deployable tent – is 120 x 25 feet. There will also need to be space nearby to park the supply unit and support vehicles.
  • Additional boot connector: This is to integrate seamlessly with other disaster or regional response teams using tent-based facilities.
Close