For a number of medical facilities winter means an influx of patients battling seasonal illnesses. Hospitals and healthcare centers in Southern states also find themselves treating extra patients as temporary residents migrate South for the winter.
It can be a strain on healthcare facilities that aren’t prepared.
States like Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tenneesse have millions of residents over the age of 65. Warm climates, retirement communities, and tax benefits make these popular destinations for those looking for a new retirement home or as a spot to escape cold winters.
Biomedical professionals and healthcare technology managers in the South, are you ready for the winter season?
Here’s an interesting stat: Florida hosts 1 million temporary residents who spend at least one month in the state, according to this Florida realty site. That’s about a 5% increase in Florida’s wintertime population.
That’s extra people in need of routine medical care, treatment for illnesses like flu or COVID-19, and even emergency services that could lead to surgeries and hospital stays.
If your community experiences a burst of wintertime residents, now’s the time to prepare your healthcare facility. Don’t be let in the lurch and unable to serve your patients well.
And even though the Centers for Disease Control is predicting a moderate flu season, don’t discount respiratory illnesses as a burden on your facility.
In its predictions for COVID, the CDC notes that over the past three years, COVID waves have come in the summer and in the winter. January 2026 may see a peak in COVID cases, regardless of whether a new variant emerges this fall.
Here’s how you can prepare for a busy winter season:
1) Take inventory of your equipment now. Are you running low on any vital patient monitoring equipment? Do you have a storeroom of items in need of repair or replacement?
2) Send items off for repair before you need them. If you’ve been putting off getting devices repaired, take care of that now. Our team will get your devices repaired and in excellent working condition. Don’t spend money on brand-new equipment when you can get a device repaired in just a few days.
3) Have extra cables and accessories on hand. Here at Sage Services, we have a stocked inventory of both reusable and disposable cables and accessories for your patient monitoring devices.
4) Purchase extra equipment before you need it. We have refurbished medical devices available at a fraction of the cost. For devices that are used daily, this is a budget-friendly way to have an extra or two ready to go.
5) Keep Sage Services on speed dial for quick repairs. Heavily used medical devices get dropped, cracked, or simply stop working. Call on Sage! We repair equipment from all the major manufacturers. We offer free shipping and quick turnaround times (usually 5-7 business days).
As you get ready for a potentially busy winter season, Sage Services is here to help. Let’s make sure your equipment is working, cables are stocked, and extra devices are on hand.
You focus on providing the highest quality patient care while we take care of the equipment.
