Though Hurricane Harvey broke the national rainfall record for a tropical storm and wreaked havoc as it circled over Southeast Texas, CHRISTUS Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth Hospital ensured care continued for the community.

Harvey caused the city of Beaumont to lose water supply, which resulted in a number of vigorous days. A hospital is dependent on continuous running water for a number of reasons.  It is critical to clean rooms, sterilize equipment  and maintain daily operations and patient care services. A solution to Beaumont’s water crisis had to be found. CHRISTUS was not going to turn its back on the community.

CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital is the largest hospital between Houston and Baton Rouge. Located in Beaumont, Texas, the hospital thankfully announced this week it is no longer under emergency operations.

In the midst of the recovery, engineering teams and sister cities Port Arthur, Texas and Nederland, Texas pitched in to activate secondary water supply for the hospital. CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital sustained, remained open and has now been able to return to normal operations.

Never once choosing to shut their doors, the hospital is providing care to 119 patients, as of Tues., Sept. 5, and four of the area’s CHRISTUS emergency centers, including St. Elizabeth, have provided care to 1,400 patients since Mon., Aug. 28.

“With the announced closure of other hospital facilities last week, and CHRISTUS the only other hospital in Beaumont, we knew we needed to do everything in our power to keep our 290-bed hospital and trauma center open during this tragedy to serve our community,” said CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Health System CEO Paul Trevino.

Two water wells on the CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth campus have provided non-potable water for infrastructure operations and patient care. Potable water has been stored on campus for emergent crisis situations, and an additional 12,000 gallons of water were shipped in to help meet the needs of running a hospital.

“Each day we find solutions to new issues, each day we thank God that we can give medical care to those who need it. The cities of Port Arthur and Nederland have been true partners—and we couldn’t be more grateful,” explained Trevino.

“Our critical care nurses received relief from 20-hour-shifts with a contingent of 50 Registered Nurses from varied CHRISTUS facilities throughout Texas and Louisiana. Our supplies, such as food, linen, pharmaceuticals continue to be replenished,” said Trevino.

Pictured above just some of the medical and emergency teams that lent a hand to CHRISTUS.  Demonstrating we truly are one CHRISTUS.

 

Emergency centers at CHRISTUS St. Mary Hospital and CHRISTUS Outpatient Center – Mid County have been operating at full capacity since Thursday. CHRISTUS Jasper Memorial Hospital is open, providing patient care in full capacity.

“We are working our way back to normalcy after this catastrophic flood event,” said Trevino. “As a source of healing for our community, we believe in the power of our ministry,” said Trevino. “It’s been a challenging experience, but CHRISTUS physicians, Associates and administration remain steadfast that our compassion and service will persevere; that the Beaumont, Port Arthur and surrounding communities will persevere.”

Proof of this statement can be found in multiple video montages posted on CHRISTUS Southeast Texas’ Facebook page.

The videos feature patients, Associates and physicians as they detail their experiences.

One video features  Dar Kavouspour, MD, 

Doctor Kavouspour’s video highlights the dedication and courage it takes to keep providing exceptional care despite extreme conditions.  Harvey is the fourth hurricane Dr. Kavouspour has experienced in 20 years while working as a health care provider at CHRISTUS Southeast Texas.

 

Latest Updates of CHRISTUS Southeast Facilities

• Procedures and surgeries for St. Elizabeth and St. Mary Hospitals resumed Tues., Sept., 5.

• CHRISTUS Orthopedic Specialty Center/BBJ clinic opened Tues., Sept., 5. Surgeries are expected to resume on Wed., Sept., 6.

 

• CHRISTUS clinics in Rayburn, Kirbyville and Jasper will be open on Tuesday, September 5.

• Promptu clinics opened Tues., Sept. 5.

• All services at CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Outpatient Center Mid County will open Tuesday, September 5.

• The CHRISTUS Southeast Texas St. Elizabeth Outpatient Pavilion remains closed through Tuesday, September 5.

OPEN

CHRISTUS Family Medicine Lumberton

CHRISTUS Family Medicine Port Arthur (will resume regular schedules at new location @ 8445 Memorial Blvd, Suite 500, Port Arthur, TX  77640)

CHRISTUS Family Medicine Port Neches

CHRISTUS Family Medicine Groves

Jasper Surgical

Promptu Dowlen

*In addition, Dr. Ivanova will see her CPG patients at Promptu Dowlen