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The challenges of emergencies
In crises, emergency or disaster situations, the first place most of us would turn for help is the local hospital. But what if the hospital itself is at the centre of the crisis, emergency or disaster and finds itself unable to function as it should?
n the event of an emergency – whether it be manmade or natural – the hospital is where we turn for help. But hospitals themselves are obviously not impenetrable fortresses, they’re not invulnerable to the chaos which an emergency can bring. They can be damaged and vital parts of the hospital, or indeed the entire building, can cease functioning for a multitude of reasons, leaving patients at risk. Take a naturally occurring crisis such a flooding, for example, or hurricane, tornado,
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cyclone, earthquake or typhoons. All of these can obviously damage the infrastructure of a hospital building, leaving it requiring work to repair damage, which can often be a long-term issue. Hospital environments and equipment are complex and need to be of appropriate high quality, particularly where surgery or invasive procedures are carried out, and therefore repairs can be complicated and lengthy. Where a department or building has been destroyed by the naturally occurring crisis, it will require rebuilding.
Floods can be particularly invasive and cause longer term problems within a hospital. Many key functions such as sterilization services for surgical instruments or equipment are housed in hospital basements, most likely to be affected by a flood. These departments are the thumping heart of a hospital – without these functioning, how can the centre’s doctors and nurses carry out their work? The simple answer is, they can’t without adding capacity. Fires are also an event which can leave a hospital without vital functions for an extended period. The fire itself clearly will damage a particular area, but in a hospital where complete sterility is required, the smoke damage to other areas, as well as water damage caused by extinguishing the blaze, can be the bigger issue and will likely affect a far wider area. Patients are likely to have to be evacuated, even in the short term, causing issues with access to vital medical technology to deliver care, patient and pharmacy records, and operating rooms. We clearly can’t predict when a naturally
occurring crisis or fire may affect a hospital, but hospitals can plan for contingency in these situations. So what can they do? In the immediate aftermath of a crisis,
nearby hospitals will share resources and support the most in need. But hospitals need to look at the long-term. How will they continue to treat patients while areas are repaired, cleaned or rebuilt? It’s vital for hospitals to know what is
available in terms of contingency mobile or temporary support. Mobile healthcare facilities can be deployed with speed and provide reliable, quality environments for a range of functions such as mobile operating rooms, wards, clinics, endoscopy decontamination units, Central Sterile Services Departments (CSSD), minor injury units, visiting hospitals, outpatient clinics and endoscopy suites – even temporary emergency rooms.
www.vanguardhealthcare.co.uk
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