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2 results

  • COVID-19 Surge Capacity Solutions: Our Experience of Converting a Concert Hall into a Temporary Hospital for Mild and Moderate COVID-19 Patients

  • Daniela Sacchetto, Mario Raviolo, Cristiano Beltrando, Nicola Tommasoni
  • Journal:
    Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness / Volume 16 / Issue 3 / June 2022
    Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    26 October 2020, pp. 1273-1276
    • Article
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  • The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has stressed the health care system in Italy as well as around the world, with hospitals implementing their surge capacity to increase the number of available beds for patients positive to the virus.

    At the end of March, the Piemonte (Northern Italy) Government decided to build a temporary rapid-assembly emergency hospital for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 patients, converting an existing concert hall in the city of Turin. The decision was prompted not only by the urgent need of hospital beds, but also by a forward-looking approach for the months immediately after the emergency, when it will be essential for conventional hospitals to return to a normal configuration.

    This paper documents the temporary hospital project, describing the site, the layout and the equipment, the idea behind structural choices, and the staff involved. The aim of the work is to share the experience and to provide some practical recommendations to other professionals who are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

  • Portable Health Care Facilities in Disaster and Rescue Zones: Characteristics and Future Suggestions

  • Noemi Bitterman, Yoni Zimmer
  • Journal:
    Prehospital and Disaster Medicine / Volume 33 / Issue 4 / August 2018
    Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    13 July 2018, pp. 411-417
    Print publication:
    August 2018
  • Introduction

    Natural and man-made disasters are becoming global concerns. Natural disasters appear to be growing in number and intensity due to global warming, population explosion, increased travel, and overcrowding of cities. In addition, man-made disasters do not seem to be diminishing.

    At disaster sites, an immediate response is needed. National and international organizations; nongovernmental, military, and commercial organizations; and even private donors enlist to provide humanitarian and medical support and to send supplies, shelters, and temporary health care facilities to disaster zones.

    Problem

    The literature is sparse regarding the design of portable health care facilities intended for disaster zones and their adaptability to the tasks required and site areas.

    Methods

    Data were collected from peer-reviewed literature, scientific reports, magazines, and websites regarding health care facilities at rescue and salvage situations. Information was grouped according to categories of structure and properties, and relative strengths and weaknesses. Next, suggestions were made for future directions.

    Results

    Permanent structures and temporary constructed facilities were the two primary categories of health care facilities functioning at disaster zones. Permanent hospitals were independent functioning medical units that were moved or transported to and from disaster zones as complete units, as needed. These facilities included floating hospitals, flying (airborne) hospitals, or terrestrial mobile facilities. Thus, these hospitals self-powered and contained mobility aids within their structure using water, air, or land as transporting media.

    Temporary health care facilities were transported to disaster zones as separate, nonfunctioning elements that were constructed or assembled on site and were subsequently taken apart. These facilities included the classical soft-type tents and solid containers that were organized later as hospitals in camp configurations. The strengths and weaknesses of the diverse hospital options are discussed.

    Conclusions

    Future directions include the use of innovative materials, advanced working methods, and integrated transportation systems. In addition, a holistic approach should be developed to improve the performance, accessibility, time required to function, sustainability, flexibility, and modularity of portable health care facilities.

    Bitterman N, Zimmer Y. Portable health care facilities in disaster and rescue zones: characteristics and future suggestions. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(4):411–417