Hospitals brace for the total eclipse

The path of the total solar eclipse will cross from Mexico to Maine, and 99% of people in the United States will be able to see either a partial or total eclipse. The path of totality spans 13 states, from Central Texas to Northeastern Maine. It's the first total solar eclipse to cross the United States in seven years.

As many as 4 million people are expected to travel to see the total eclipse, which could strain healthcare systems in rural areas that may not have enough staff to handle large-scale events. Some hospitals in the path of totality have even been preparing for over a year with emergency drills and coordination efforts with local officials.

In Southern Indiana, more than 500,000 people are expected to visit to see the total solar eclipse. According to Jason King, incident commander for Indiana University Health's (IUH) South Central Region, this large volume of people could cause up to 12 hours of traffic gridlock, preventing healthcare workers from getting to the hospital.

To reduce this risk, the health system offered in-hospital accommodations and food to workers who wanted to stay overnight at the hospital to avoid missing their shifts. Emergency response team members are required to stay onsite from Sunday to Tuesday.

IUH has also scheduled more workers and overlapping shifts, particularly in its EDs, to prevent any staffing shortages during the eclipse.

In Central Texas, AdventHealth is offering stipends to staff members to offset the cost of childcare so they don't have to miss work. The health system has also suspended all elective services, including outpatient surgeries and imaging, at its Central Texas locations for Monday.

AdventHealth has also increased the presence of its security offers and is requiring visitor parking passes to prevent overflow in its hospital parking lots by people wanting to use the lots to view the eclipse or attend nearby events.

At Rochester Regional Health in New York, workers have been supplied with handheld radios and Government Emergency Telecommunications Service cards, which give the hospital priority access to networks in case communication is hindered.

Many hospitals have also partnered with emergency services ahead of time to ensure that patients can get the help they need. "We have emergency operations plans in place to manage all types of situations and will use those to guide us in determining needs for the eclipse," said Trish Wackler, COO and CNO at Upper Valley Medical Center, which is part of Premier Health. "We are also partnering with our local (emergency management agency) and the Premier Health system to ensure that we can deliver care to our patients in the community."

During the last total solar eclipse in 2017, many hospitals spent substantial amounts of money preparing ahead of time, but did not see a significant increase in demand for services. However, hospitals say they aren't taking any chances with this eclipse either.

"We would rather have people here and be ready and have it not materialize than not be able to meet a need," said Jonathan Billings, COO of Northwestern Medical Center in Vermont. "It may just end up being a meaningful expense to the hospital ... and we're prepared for that."

Hospitals are also joining the fun

Although hospitals have focused on preparing for potential health needs during the eclipse, many have also joined in on the excitement.

For example, staff at Rochester General Hospital are throwing a viewing party and offering people specialized glasses to safely watch the eclipse. In Pennsylvania, Saint Vincent Hospital is providing staff with space-themed goodie bags, and the labor and delivery department made custom solar eclipse onesies for babies born on Monday.

AdventHealth hospitals in Central Texas have also created souvenir shirts for the eclipse, available for purchase at the gift shop. "We're in Central Texas and we're not a destination on most days," said Kevin Roberts, president and CEO of AdventHealth Central Texas. "So we're pretty excited about the event overall, but we're also very mindful of our part to play in keeping everyone safe."

How to view the eclipse safely

For those interested in watching the eclipse, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has offered three tips on how to view it safely:

1. Wear eclipse glasses that have certified solar filters

According to AAO, sunglasses, even those that are very dark, are not enough to protect your eyes when you look at the sun. Instead, you should get specialized eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers.

These specialized glasses or viewers have a solar filter that has been approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Eclipse glasses that meet ISO standards will have the code ISO 12312–2.

Wearing these glasses is required during all periods of partial eclipse, but they can be taken off briefly during the totality phase, when the moon fully covers the sun. However, totality only lasts for one to two minutes, so viewers will need to be careful.

2. Watch the eclipse indirectly through a pinhole viewer

A pinhole viewer allows you to project the surface of the sun onto another surface, like paper, pavement, or a wall. Viewing this image of the sun is a safer way to view the eclipse, AAO said.

You can make your own pinhole viewer at home with some basic supplies, such as paper, tape, aluminum foil, and a pencil. You can also buy a pinhole viewer if you don't want to make your own.

3. Watch a live stream of the eclipse

If you can't get proper eyewear or travel to the path of totality, AAO recommends watching the eclipse through a live stream. NASA is hosting a live stream of the eclipse on its website.

(Goldman, Axios, 4/5; Sentinel-Tribune, 4/3; Devereaux/DeSilva, Modern Healthcare, 4/5; DePeau-Wilson, Medpage Today, 4/4; Chandler, CBC News, 4/5; Gudgel, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 3/20)

While it is difficult to anticipate exactly when or how hospitals will face the next emergency, providers need to be prepared for all types of threats, including pandemics, natural disasters, and security risks. Writing for TIME, Elizabeth Millard describes the top five emergency preparedness challenges hospitals currently face—and how they plan to overcome them.