Hospitals across the country are scrambling to add temporary capacity in response to the surge in COVID-19 patients, and they’re turning to National Gypsum’s Durasan product for a quick solution. 

Michigan Medicine, the statewide hospital system operated by the University of Michigan, has purchased nearly 30,000 feet of the prefinished gypsum wall panels, according to territory manager Frank Reed. The Ann Arbor-based system is using the panels as dividers to turn single rooms into doubles in order to accommodate virus-stricken patients in one of the U.S. regions hardest hit by the pandemic. 

Durasan provides an easy-to-install solution for temporary construction because it does not require a drywall hanger or finisher. It is even more appealing to hospital staff because it can be cleaned easier than regular drywall, providing a solution to cleaning hospital rooms in between patients.

“Durasan is a product that is perfect for this situation because it makes a nice, sturdy wall and is easy to clean and ready to go,” said Reed. “It allows you to skip a lot of steps.”  Reed says an additional order may be coming from Michigan Medicine for a temporary field hospital planned for an athletic complex on the university’s campus, and he’s also fielding inquiries about Durasan from other hospitals around the state.