(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Allegheny Health Network)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Allegheny Health Network announced its comprehensive plans today to provide medical care and support for the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. That health system will deploy various care resources directly within the event footprint, while maintaining hospital readiness across its entire network. AHN Downtown Express Care will be open each day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, April 22nd through Saturday, April 25th. The walk-in clinic which is located at Highmark’s Penn Avenue Place will serve as a crucial first-response point for non-emergent medical needs, including common illnesses and injuries. During this time, patients with previously scheduled primary care appointments at the facility will have the option to instead utilize video visits.24/7 Virtual Urgent Care, which you can find more about by clicking here, is also available to both new and existing patients. The AHN Mobile Clinic will also be stationed in Market Square to offer first aid and address minor health concerns. Patients that require a higher level of care may be directed to the nearby AHN Downtown Express Care or a nearby emergency department. Physicians and nurses from AHN Prehospital Care and AHN Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) will staff a medical fort near Acrisure Stadium to provide immediate medical support to draft visitors closer to the heart of the draft activities. Caregivers will maintain continuous communication with EMS units positioned inside the stadium and across the footprint of the draft for seamless care coordination. AHN officials will also operate a command center at Nova Place on the North Side of Pittsburgh to manage patient flow across care sites and help mitigate potential strain on the emergency department at nearby AGH. AGH is concurrently prepared to treat an influx of patients throughout the event as a Level I trauma center. AGH is also working with City of Pittsburgh and NFL officials to ensure that non-emergency patients have unencumbered access to the hospital for their scheduled medical appointments because large crowds and traffic restrictions are expected for the city’s North Side during draft week.