By Healthcare Facilities Today

When disaster strikes, hospitals are on the front line for treating and caring for those in harm’s way. Recent events demonstrate that with weather events becoming more and more extreme, healthcare owners may need to reassess the resiliency of their facilities, according to an article on the Metropolis magazine website.

To better withstand future hurricanes, the one New York City decided that electrical gear, formerly in the basement, should be moved to a higher floor. These are important steps toward resiliency but a challenge in a city where every inch of space is at a premium, the article said. Hospital administrators have to decide whether to cut clinical spaces to make room for generators and other emergency supplies.

When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, it ruined not only homes and businesses but also essential city infrastructure. The University Medical Center will help restore the city’s healthcare capacity and will feature South Louisiana’s only Level 1 trauma center. To prevent future floods from impacting patient care, channeling and managing the flow of rising water will be essential to resiliency, according to the article.

The University Medical Center has been designed to remain fully operational during flooding and other extreme weather. All critical hospital spaces and infrastructure are raised 22 feet above the base flood elevation.

Read the article.