When it comes to hurricanes, evacuations are usually possible — but what about patients in hospitals who don't have the ability to leave, asked an article on the KPLC website.
"You want to keep your most critical patients in your hospital, it's better for their overall health," Scott Kyle, Regional Manager of Safety and Emergency Management at Christus St. Patrick Hospital, said in the article.
In natural disasters — like hurricanes — healthcare facilities try to discharge patients who are able to be discharged, but have learned from past experiences to build their structures to withstand a rough storm.
"We have hardened our facilities, special windows, backup generators, redundant water systems," said Kyle, "So we staff appropriately and we have necessary resources for 96 hours."
KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Medical Outpatient Buildings: 4 Trends Bringing Risk, Opportunity
Building Senior Care Facilities for Harsh Temperatures
Nemours Children's Health Opens the Betty and Jack Demetree Family Center for Otolaryngology
Laser Scanning: Reducing Risk in Construction Projects
MOBs Get Smarter and More Complex as Space Pressures Mount