Surge Capacity

Hospital surge capacity is the measure of a hospital’s ability to rapidly expand beyond providing routine and emergent services to meet a significantly increased demand for qualified personnel, medical care, information, and resources. Hospitals must be prepared for the triage, treatment, and disposition of large numbers of adult, pediatric, and special needs patients who may require stabilization, hospitalization, transfer, or expanded outpatient services. They must also ensure that the selected course of action effectively protects hospital staff and first responders.

 

The Surge Capacity Support Annex is a planning document that augments the hospital’s existing Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and incorporates the fundamental principles of all-hazards emergency management.  It helps hospitals prepare for the full range of surge capacity operations from maximizing internal resources, making additional beds available, and reallocating staff to opening new or expanded patient care areas. Surge capacity planning efforts focus on facility, infrastructure, logistics, staff, and command and control considerations.