NEWORLEANS– Lessons learned have led to upgraded preparations and additional safeguards as Ochsner Health System braces its seven southeast Louisianahospitals for the 2009 hurricane season. These safeguards have been implemented to further ensure patient safety, provide for hospital staff who will be housed at the facilities, and further utilize the system’s regional hospital locations for immediate patient transport should the need arise.
“As with any hurricane season, we prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Our top priority is the safety of our patients and employees, and as in previous years, we will be prepared for what the future may bring,” says Warner Thomas, President and COOof Ochsner Health System.
“Last year’s Hurricane Gustav taught us two major lessons; being a large hospital system allows us to serve as a vital resource for critically ill patients that need to be quickly transported out of danger and enables us to rapidly redistribute supplies, such as fuel, generators, and pharmaceuticals, throughout our facilities without reliance on outside resources,” explains Thomas. “This was especially important along the New Orleans West Bank and in Baton Rouge, both of which sustained substantial damage.” Ochsner owns five hospitals in the expanded New Orleans region, including one in Raceland (Bayou), and one in Baton Rouge.
Below are some new protocols instituted for the 2009 season:
§ Hospitalized Patients: In the event of a Category 4 storm or higher, critically-ill patients will be transferred to other Ochsner-designated hospitals outside the threat zone. “The benefit to these patients is that their medical records are electronic, therefore their care at another Ochsner facility will be seamless,” explains Dr. Joe Guarisco, Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine and Chief of Emergency Services. All other non-critical patients at Ochsner facilities will remain in place and weather the storm with hospital staff.
§ Hospital Communications: Designated Incident Command Centers are located at each Ochsner hospital to ensure communication remains intact internally and with outside agencies throughout periods of severe weather. Communication vehicles include satellite phones, HAM radios with operators, 800 MHz radios, and HEARradios.
§ Fully-Staffed Hospitals: During any disaster, Ochsner is committed to maintaining appropriate staffing to ensure patient care needs are met in the safest environment possible.
§ Essential Supplies: Ochsner has increased supplies in order to maintain a state of self-sufficiency for at least 14 days and replenishment immediately thereafter.
§ Electrical: Additional generators have been installed at the following facilities to provide air conditioning and additional power: Ochsner Medical Center-Jefferson Highway(New Orleans), OchsnerMedicalCenter- West Bank(Gretna), and OchsnerMedicalCenter– Kenner. A generator has been rented for Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge.
§ Water Supply: A 650-foot well at OchsnerMedicalCenter- Jefferson Highway provides running water in the event of a disaster and its existing 200-foot well now serves as back-up. Wells have also been drilled and water tanker connections installed at OchsnerMedicalCenter- Kenner and OchsnerMedicalCenter- West Bank.
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