When healthcare facilities hear 'Code Orange' – the code for a mass casualty event – they get ready for patients’ arrival, according to an article on the Global News website.
“We created capacity in the emergency department in our trauma bay so we can have room to accept these patients,” said Dr. Avery Nathens from Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital.
“We put the operating room on hold, to make sure the operating room was available as needed, and we made sure there were sufficient numbers of doctors and nurses to meet the demands of the patients.”
Hospitals are constantly working on their emergency plans, said Dr. Andrew Willmore, medical director of emergency management at the Ottawa Hospital. The tricky part is balancing the hospital’s normal responsibilities — taking care of ordinary patients — with creating the capacity to handle a disaster.
Avoiding Mistakes in Healthcare Site Selection
Can Rural Hospitals Be Saved?
Ascension Saint Thomas Breaks Ground on Hospital and Health Campus in Tennessee
The Hidden Risks of QAC Disinfectants in Healthcare Facilities
Sprinkler Compliance: Navigating Code Mandates, Renovation Triggers and Patient Safety