INDIANAPOLIS — Health care workers at one Indianapolis hospital will be getting more help from the military.
A 20-person team from the U.S. Navy will be deployed to IU Health Methodist Hospital to assist in the care of COVID-19 patients. The military assistance, which is also being deployed to a Wisconsin hospital, came at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"Since COVID began, our military medical personnel have been committed to fighting the pandemic and supporting our local, state and federal partners and communities in need," said Lt. Gen. John R. Evans Jr., U.S. Army North commander.
IU Health said the team will support staff at IU Health Methodist Hospital for 30 days beginning this week. The team will consist of physicians, nurses and respiratory professionals, and be placed into medical units where they're needed most.
Ten military teams from the Department of Defense are assisting health care civilians in five other states, including Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and New Mexico.
Last week, IU Health said the Indiana National Guard was assisting at 13 of the network's 16 hospitals, with help expected at two more hospitals this week.
The National Guard teams deployed at hospitals are comprised of two clinical and four non-clinical service members, and deployments are in two-week increments. The clinical service members can treat patients while the other members support the staff.