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Integrated Plan to Augment Surge Capacity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Christopher Dayton ,
Jamil Ibrahim ,
Michael Augenbraun ,
Steven Brooks ,
Kiaran Mody ,
Donald Holford ,
Patricia Roblin  and
Bonnie Arquilla
Christopher Dayton*
Affiliation:
University Hospital Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Jamil Ibrahim
Affiliation:
Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Michael Augenbraun
Affiliation:
University Hospital Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Steven Brooks
Affiliation:
Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Kiaran Mody
Affiliation:
Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Donald Holford
Affiliation:
Kingsboro Psychiatric Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Patricia Roblin
Affiliation:
University Hospital Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Bonnie Arquilla
Affiliation:
Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
*
Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program, c/o NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, Room 222, Box 22A New York, New York 10013 USA E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Introduction:

Surge capacity is defined as a healthcare system's ability to rapidly expand beyond normal services to meet the increased demand for appropriate space, qualified personnel, medical care, and public health in the event of bioterrorism, disaster, or other large-scale, public health emergencies. There are many individuals and agencies, including policy makers, planners, administrators, and staff at the federal, state, and local level, involved in the process of planning for and executing policy in respect to a surge in the medical requirements of a population. They are responsible to ensure there is sufficient surge capacity within their own jurisdiction.

Problem:

The [US] federal government has required New York State to create a system of hospital bed surge capacity that provides for 500 adult and pediatric patients per 1 million population, which has been estimated to be an increase of 15–20% in bed availability. In response, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOH) has requested that area hospitals take an inventory of available beds and set a goal to provide for a 20% surge capacity to be available during a mass-casualty event or other conditions calling for increased inpatient bed availability.

Methods:

In 2003, under the auspices of the NYC DOH, the New York Institute of All Hazard Preparedness (NYIHP) was formed from four unaffiliated, healthcare facilities in Central Brooklyn to address this and other goals.

Results:

The NYIHP hospitals have developed a surge capacity plan to provide necessary space and utilities. As these plans have been applied, a bed surge capacity of approximately 25% was identified and created for Central Brooklyn to provide for the increased demand on the medical care system that may accompany a disaster. Through the process of developing an integrated plan that would engage a public health incident, the facilities of NYIHP demonstrate that a model of cooperation may be applied to an inherently fractioned medical system.

Keywords

integrated plansurge capacity
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , April 2008 , pp. 113 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2008

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