Nontherapeutic areas and their role in hospital surge capacity in facing disasters.

BACKGROUND: Unexpected events, accidents, wars, other natural, and unnatural disasters threaten human life. Hospitals especially emergency departments are the first line dealing with the disaster victims and on the other hand, are often full of patients. The purpose of this study is evaluating surge capacity of Isfahan Al-Zahra Hospital in facing disasters with the usage of nontherapeutic areas potential in a time of crisis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, nontherapeutic areas having the conversional potential to be used as therapeutic areas were defined and then with applying standard formulas, and patient admission capacity was calculated.

RESULTS: After calculating, it was determined that there is a potential of hospitalization of 240 patients at the stadium next to the hospital, 100 patients in clinics, 1,000 patients in the indoor parking, and 3-4 thousand patients in the open space area.

CONCLUSION: Hospital current capacity could be increased significantly in case of facing disasters through providing instructions, and pre-prepared plans.