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Portable Health Care Facilities in Disaster and Rescue Zones: Characteristics and Future Suggestions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2018

Noemi Bitterman  and
Yoni Zimmer
Noemi Bitterman*
Affiliation:
Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion, Haifa, Israel
Yoni Zimmer
Affiliation:
Industrial Design, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion, Haifa, Israel
*
Correspondence: Noemi Bitterman, PhD Associate Professor, Industrial Design Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel E-mail: noemib@technion.ac.il
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Abstract

Introduction

Natural and man-made disasters are becoming global concerns. Natural disasters appear to be growing in number and intensity due to global warming, population explosion, increased travel, and overcrowding of cities. In addition, man-made disasters do not seem to be diminishing.

At disaster sites, an immediate response is needed. National and international organizations; nongovernmental, military, and commercial organizations; and even private donors enlist to provide humanitarian and medical support and to send supplies, shelters, and temporary health care facilities to disaster zones.

Problem

The literature is sparse regarding the design of portable health care facilities intended for disaster zones and their adaptability to the tasks required and site areas.

Methods

Data were collected from peer-reviewed literature, scientific reports, magazines, and websites regarding health care facilities at rescue and salvage situations. Information was grouped according to categories of structure and properties, and relative strengths and weaknesses. Next, suggestions were made for future directions.

Results

Permanent structures and temporary constructed facilities were the two primary categories of health care facilities functioning at disaster zones. Permanent hospitals were independent functioning medical units that were moved or transported to and from disaster zones as complete units, as needed. These facilities included floating hospitals, flying (airborne) hospitals, or terrestrial mobile facilities. Thus, these hospitals self-powered and contained mobility aids within their structure using water, air, or land as transporting media.

Temporary health care facilities were transported to disaster zones as separate, nonfunctioning elements that were constructed or assembled on site and were subsequently taken apart. These facilities included the classical soft-type tents and solid containers that were organized later as hospitals in camp configurations. The strengths and weaknesses of the diverse hospital options are discussed.

Conclusions

Future directions include the use of innovative materials, advanced working methods, and integrated transportation systems. In addition, a holistic approach should be developed to improve the performance, accessibility, time required to function, sustainability, flexibility, and modularity of portable health care facilities.

Bitterman N, Zimmer Y. Portable health care facilities in disaster and rescue zones: characteristics and future suggestions. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(4):411–417

Keywords

disasteremergencyhealth care facilitiestemporary hospitaltransportable hospital
Type
Comprehensive Review
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , August 2018 , pp. 411 - 417
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2018 

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: none

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