Hospitals as disaster victims: Lessons not learned?

Publication/Presentation Date

2-1-2022

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Hospitals are a key component to disaster response but are susceptible to the effects of disasters as well, including infrastructure damage that disrupts patient care. These events offer an opportunity for evaluation and improvement of preparedness and response efforts when hospitals are affected directly by a disaster. The objective of this structured review was to evaluate the existing literature on hospitals as disaster victims.

METHODS: A structured and scoping review of peer-reviewed literature, gray literature, and news reports related to hospitals as disaster victims was completed to identify and analyze themes and lessons observed from disasters in which hospitals are victims, to aid in future emergency operations planning and disaster response.

RESULTS: The literature search and secondary search of referenes identified 366 records in English. A variety of common barriers to successful disaster response include loss of power, water, heating and ventilation, communications, health information technology, staffing, supplies, safety and security, and structural and non-structural damage.

CONCLUSIONS: There are common weaknesses in disaster preparedness that we can learn from and account for in future planning with the aim of improving resilience in the face of future disasters.

Volume

3

Issue

1

First Page

12632

Last Page

12632

ISSN

2688-1152

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

35036993

Department(s)

Department of Emergency Medicine

Document Type

Article

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