Experience with temporary hospitals during natural disasters can offer guidance during the COVID-19 crisis, according to an article on the Modern Healthcare website.
When planning these facilities, there are basic needs for temporary hospitals to consider, including ventilation, HEPA filtering, plumbing, electrical and medical gas.
For instance, temporary hospitals will need to deliver ventilation that achieves the necessary air changes per hour, makes medical gases available to sealed-off patient pods or tents and filters contaminated air with HEPA filters.
Also, in converted facilities, patients who are ambulatory can use regular bathrooms. For those unable to leave a HEPA-filtered environment, mobile commodes must be made available. For mobile hospitals deployed outside in a greenfield situation, a commode system, as well as portable hand-washing stations, will require a system such as a removable black water tank for waste removal.
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