Current Perspectives and Concerns Facing Hospital Evacuation: The Results of a Pilot Study and Literature Review

• Published in: Disaster medicine and public health preparedness Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 650 - 658
• Main Authors: Khorram-Manesh, Amir, Phattharapornjaroen, Phatthranit, Mortelmans, Luc J, Goniewicz, Krzysztof, Verheul, Marlous, Sörensen, Jarle L, Pereira, Irene, Ricklin, Meret E, Faccincani, Roberto, Dark, Paul M, Carlström, Eric, Ahmadi Marzaleh, Milad, Peyravi, Mahmoud Reza, Al Sultan, Mohammed, Santamaria, Emelia, Comandante, John David, Burkle, Frederick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cambridge University Press 01.04.2022
• Subjects: Anestesi och intensivvård; Anesthesiology and Intensive Care; Collaboration; Decision making; Disaster Planning; disaster planning guidelines; Disasters; Emergency medical care; emergency services; Epidemics; Evacuations & rescues; Health facilities; hospital evacuation; Hospitals; Humans; Literature reviews; Logistics; Netherlands; Pandemics; Pilot Projects; Professional ethics; Professionals; Questionnaires; surge capacity; Systematic review; triage; Netherlands; hospital evacuation; surge capacity; disaster planning guidelines; emergency services; triage
• ISSN: 1935-7893; 1938-744X; 1938-744X
• DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2020.391

To analyze the evacuation preparedness of hospitals within the European Union (EU). This study consisted of 2 steps. In the first step, a systematic review of the subject matter, according to the PRISMA flow diagram, was performed. Using Scopus (Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands), PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD), and Gothenburg University´s search engine, 11 questions were extracted from the review and were sent to representatives from 15 European Union (EU)- and non-EU countries. The findings indicate that there is neither a full preparedness nor a standard guideline for evacuation within the EU or other non-EU countries in this study. A major shortcoming revealed by this study is the lack of awareness of the untoward consequences of medical decision-making during an evacuation. Some countries did not respond to the questions due to the lack of relevant guidelines, instructions, or time. Hospitals are exposed to internal and external incidents and require an adequate evacuation plan. Despite many publications, reports, and conclusions on successful and unsuccessful evacuation, there is still no common guide for evacuation, and many hospitals lack the proper preparedness. There is a need for a multinational collaboration, specifically within the EU, to establish such an evacuation planning or guideline to be used mutually within the union and the international community.