Although there was no official confirmation late Thursday that another Ebola patient would be treated inside the medical center’s Biocontainment Unit, leaders said the organization stands ready.
In a statement, the medical center said: “A patient with the Ebola virus will soon be evaluated for possible treatment of the disease here. This patient contracted the disease in Sierra Leone and recently tested positive for Ebola. The condition of the patient will dictate whether he comes to Omaha for treatment.
“He will be evaluated by the medical crew on the Phoenix Air jet upon their arrival in Sierra Leone. The members of the crew will determine whether the patient is stable enough for transport – if he is, he would arrive in Omaha sometime Saturday afternoon. We will update you on the status of this patient as more information becomes available.”
In an earlier message, Bill Dinsmoor, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, and Bradley Britigan, M.D., president of Nebraska Medicine and dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, emphasized the importance of patient privacy. “Regardless of the type of sickness or injury we are treating, please remember to honor our professional and legal commitment to our patients’ privacy. That means only those with clinical need should access a patient’s medical record.”