News Release

Swedish study highlights hospital disaster potential

Peer-Reviewed Publication

BMC (BioMed Central)

Factors that lead to emergency department overcrowdings, ambulance diversions and other incidents that endanger patient safety have been revealed. A study published in BioMed Central's open access Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine has shown that reductions in the number of hospital beds and downsizing or closure of emergency departments may create a dangerous loss of 'surge capacity'.

Amir Khorram-Manesh, from the Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden, worked with Annika Hedelin and Per Örtenwall to study all data concerning 'hospital-related incidents' in Sweden's Region Västra Götaland between January 2006 and December 2008. He said, "Disasters seldom occur, but if they strike, a fast and effective response from healthcare services is expected. The incidents we document, where emergency hospitals, for different reasons, could not operate at their normal capacity are a matter of concern for patient safety as well as disaster response preparedness".

The researchers found increasing numbers of 'incidents' over the three years studied. Bed shortages in intensive care and ordinary wards were the most common, followed by technical dysfunctions in the radiology department. They blame cost-cutting reductions in the size and staffing of emergency departments and increased pressure to treat people on an out-patient basis for the rise. Khorram-Manesh said, "Although these measures seem to be logical steps taken to improve healthcare effectiveness and reduce costs, they also, in a negative way, affect the surge capacity of a hospital".

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Notes to Editors

1. Hospital-related incidents; causes and its impact on disaster preparedness and prehospital organisations
Amir Khorram-Manesh, Annika Hedelin and Per Örtenwall
Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine (in press)

During embargo, article available here: http://www.sjtrem.com/imedia/1793726032261902_article.pdf?random=57062

After the embargo, article available at journal website: http://www.sjtrem.com/

Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.

Article citation and URL available on request at press@biomedcentral.com on the day of publication

2. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine (SJTREM) encompasses all aspects of the epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of acute illnesses and trauma. SJTREM is the official journal of the Scandinavian Networking Group on Trauma and Emergency Management and is affiliated with nine more societies involved in trauma, resuscitation, and emergency medicine in Scandinavia.

3. BioMed Central (www.biomedcentral.com) is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector.


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