The Impact of a Large-Scale Power Outage on Hemodialysis Center Operations

Abstract

Comprehensive emergency planning for dialysis centers should include provisions for having backup generators on site, having plans in place for the timely delivery of a generator during a power outage, or having predesignated backup dialysis centers for patients to receive dialysis during emergencies. Most dialysis centers surveyed in this study were able to sustain continuity of care by implementing such pre-existing emergency plans.

All-Cause Hospital Admissions Among Older Adults After a Natural Disaster

“…3 Psychiatric ED visits remained higher than baseline in the six months after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. 4 ED use varied at individual hospitals after Hurricane Sandy, with visits the day of the disaster consistently lower than normal across all studies, [5][6][7] while 30% of dialysis centers experienced some degree of weather-related impact on operations in the aftermath of the June 2012 mid-Atlantic storms in the U.S. 8 An increase in all-cause admissions was found in the 30 days after Hurricane Katrina among dialysis patients. 9 Yet, evaluating hospitalizations for any cause on a 'whole disaster' scale have remained limited in the disaster health literature.…”

Early Dialysis and Adverse Outcomes After Hurricane Sandy

“…Many states require dialysis facilities to have back-up power plans and/or generators so they can remain open in the face of power outages. 9 Dialysis facilities commonly have practices in place to facilitate access to urgent dialysis care in times of crisis, including directing patients to facilities that remain open, use of shorter dialysis treatments to accommodate more patients, remain open for a third shift, and in some cases will operate 24 hours a day using staff from other facilities to ensure that additional patients affected by the emergency can receive timely dialysis. [9][10][11] The Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition, formed in response to Hurricane Katrina, routinely activates during potential disasters to assist ESRD Networks in identifying and connecting patients to facilities at which they can receive dialysis if their usual source of dialysis is not available.…”

“…9 Dialysis facilities commonly have practices in place to facilitate access to urgent dialysis care in times of crisis, including directing patients to facilities that remain open, use of shorter dialysis treatments to accommodate more patients, remain open for a third shift, and in some cases will operate 24 hours a day using staff from other facilities to ensure that additional patients affected by the emergency can receive timely dialysis. [9][10][11] The Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition, formed in response to Hurricane Katrina, routinely activates during potential disasters to assist ESRD Networks in identifying and connecting patients to facilities at which they can receive dialysis if their usual source of dialysis is not available. 12,13 Additionally, some dialysis providers seek to provide dialysis ahead of a scheduled visit, also known as "early dialysis," so patients will not have to miss a dialysis session if a major storm or hurricane disrupts electricity or transportation in a given area.…”

Nursing research in disasters: The possibilities and promises

“…They either had back-up generators, had a plan to get generators delivered quickly, or had an evacuation plan prepared in case patients needed to be transported to other dialysis centers. The dialysis centers in this study were able to sustain continuity of care by implementing these procedures (Abir et al, 2013).…”