New, past violent events spark facility emergency drills

Healthcare leaders see disaster exercises and planning paying off


After the recent Ft. Hood shooting and last year's Boston Marathon bombing, hospitals around the country have stepped up preparation for mass casualty and emergency scenarios, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.

Emergency leaders from Boston traveled the country this year to share what worked and what didn't on the day of the bombing, the article said.

"We're trying to share both the successes and the challenges. It's our responsibility," Paul Biddinger, M.D., chief of emergency preparedness at Massachusetts General Hospital, said in the article.

For instance, Boston hospitals have changed their ambulance-stocking system, made tourniquets more accessible to workers, improved communication between ER staff and the operating room and changed procedures for tagging emergency room patients, according to the article.

Read the article.

 

 



April 10, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Hospitals as Energy Microgrids: Ensuring Power Grid Independence

Resilient hospitals could become energy microgrids that generate, store and managing electricity while remaining connected to the wider grid.


Baystate Health Integrates Baystate Mercy Hospital into System

Over the past seven months, Baystate Health has been preparing to integrate Baystate Mercy Hospital and its affiliated clinics.


HCA Healthcare Reports Cybersecurity Incident

The organization identified suspicious activity on Aug. 12, 2026, and took steps to secure the affected systems.


How Retail Design Can Improve the Healthcare Patient Experience

Healthcare facilities can adapt retail design principles to improve patient comfort, streamline check-in and reuse existing spaces.


Jefferson Health Breaks Ground on Lehigh Valley Hospital—Coopersburg

It is expected to open in late 2027.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.