Hospital evacuation: issues and complexities

Abstract

Hospital evacuation is a difficult process that requires a robust strategy and careful execution. In the past, threats leading to possible evacuation were primarily natural disasters. In recent years the broadened nature of threats, including hazardous material spills and terrorist incidents, has complicated this already complex problem. Its importance continues to grow, but there is still no consistent approach to tackle this problem. Plan development and evaluation are crucial to the plan's refinement which leads to successful response when an evacuation threat occurs. This research describes the issues inherent in planning and evaluation along with the complexities of constructing appropriate models for emergency preparedness and evacuation.