Comments Released on Hospital Preparedness During Hurricane Season

New comments have been released by The Lancet regarding hospital preparedness for this year’s hurricane season, predicted to be one of the worst on record.

Hurricane Ian in 2022 provided several lessons to be learned for healthcare systems, including not to focus the public’s attentions solely on the “National Hurricane Centers (NHC) forecast cone;” not to delay evacuation orders; and not to underestimate water risks. Taking the proper cues from these mistakes is even more important given “the state of emergency department overcrowding we are now seeing in hospitals across the country that limits surge capacity.”

Steps that can be taken to build local healthcare capability and capacity before disaster strikes include “ensuring hospital disaster plans are reviewed and updated to include: clear communication protocols, defined roles and responsibilities (especially of off duty staff), facility access and transportations plans, shelter and accommodations, family support plans for staff, psychological support, compensation and incentive policies, mutual aid agreements, and evaluation and improvement through after action reviews.”

In addition, the comment calls for “not only qualified hospital emergency managers in all hospitals, but also clinicians who are trained as disaster medicine specialists.” One suggestion provided is that healthcare leaders could “simulate operating a hospital for 96 h on diesel generators while at the same time coordinating a response to both a hurricane and cyberattack” to recreate a situation wherein multiple disasters are occurring at once.