Maryland hospitals remain operational and continue to work under preparedness plans to keep staff safe as icy conditions continue after Winter Storm Fern.

At the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) security teams are taking staff to and from their homes.

Others, like MedStar Union Hospital, teamed up with Uber Health, a ride share app, to help get patients and staff home or to facilities.

Additionally, hospitals throughout Maryland continue keep large amount of cots in hospitals for staff that are unable to get home.

At MedStar, 150 to 200 sleeping arrangements were made.

UMMS set up enough cots and air mattresses for 500 staff members and kept others in nearby hotels.

“Our hospitals never close, even in extreme weather, and it is our collective job to anticipate disruptions and put layers of protection in place and plan accordingly so the world-class care for thousands of patients we are privileged to care for will continue,” said Dr. Mohan Suntha, president and CEO of UMMS. “We are extremely grateful to our team members — many of whom plan to spend the night in hospitals even after working their shifts — for their dedication to our patients. Our people are our most critical resource.”

Medical systems are relying on local teams and backup infrastructure to ensure care can be delivered throughout the conditions.

“Specific to our Facilities teams’ efforts, they diligently prepared and conducted preventative maintenance on all emergency equipment and/or backup infrastructure to ensure continuity,” said Deba Schindler, a spokeswoman at MedStar. Our local teams and snow removal vendor partners have been working incessantly since Saturday evening to keep our campuses safe.

Some smaller clinics and urgent care facilities remained closed Monday, but Emergency Departments are open and functional.

UMMS opened a logistics center in Sparrows Point last November to ensure extra inventory and keep hospitals filled with food, equipment and medications.