Building an Intelligent Hospital to Fight Contagion

Abstract

The idea of building hospitals to fight contagion was born with the lazarettos. At the time when the microorganisms were not yet known, the mechanisms of transmission of contagion were already well apprehended. Based on the same knowledge but thanks to new technologies, such hospitals have now been built downtown, next to the most highly performing technological plateau. Regrouping patient care, diagnostics, research, and development, the University Hospital Institute Méditerranée Infection building offers a wonderful tool to contain and understand contagion, in a well-designed setting, creating excellent working conditions that are attractive for interested scientists.

Transforming a General Hospital to an Infectious Disease Hospital for COVID-19 Over 2 Weeks

“…The first challenge was identifying a dedicated site for managing COVID-19 patients. Ideally, a hospital block that can be separated from the main hospital should be identified (14). Else, an area that can be physically isolated from routine services is also acceptable (15).…”

Highly infectious diseases in the Mediterranean Sea area: Inventory of isolation capabilities and recommendations for appropriate isolation

“…We also admit patients with multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, as well as suspected cases of SARS or MERS coronavirus and Ebola haemorrhagic fever, as well as any patient who is a victim of a yet undiscovered but highly contagious emerging infectious agent. The third floor of L'Institut Hospitalo Universitaire Méditerranée Infection building is dedicated to BSL-3 activities with 1450 m 2 for BSL-3 laboratories including a BSL-3 necropsy room and a 1300 m 2 BSL-3 healthcare ward, including a BSL-3 point-of-care laboratory [9] . The latter is dedicated to the care of contagious patients and has been built according to the most recent recommendations [3] , [4] , [10] .…”

Role of Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection in the surveillance of resistance to antibiotics and training of students in the Mediterranean basin and in African countries

“…Because of its special location as a seaport in the Mediterranean basin, Marseille has historically always been a critical place for the entrance of infectious diseases such as plague or cholera [88] . Because antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes that could spread in the Mediterranean basin do not have borders, the IHU-MI in Marseille plays a critical role in the surveillance of resistance in these areas as well as in African countries that historically have links to France.…”