A Functional Loss Assessment of a Hospital System in the Bío‐Bío Province

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to introduce a damage and loss‐of‐function survey tool that can be used to standardize future assessment of hospital performance, to assess the impact of the 2010 Chilean earthquake on the functions of the public hospital system in the Bío‐Bío Province, and to translate these results as lessons that can be applied to U.S. hospitals. This study focused on damage to structural and nonstructural components, utility services, and equipment, as well as loss of supplies and personnel. Structural engineers completed a visual inspection of facilities, and hospital administrators were surveyed to assess the overall impact on operations. All hospitals lost communications, electrical power, and water for several days. All hospitals reported some physical damage although only one suffered significant structural damage. The lessons learned from Chile are applied to U.S. practice of hospital seismic mitigation.