Earthquake-Induced Structural and Nonstructural Damage in Hospitals

This article was published in the journal, Earthquake Spectra [© (2011) Earthquake Engineering Research Institute]. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.The Sichuan (China) and L’Aquila (Italy) earthquakes have again highlighted the question of our preparedness for natural hazards. Within a few seconds, an earthquake can demolish many buildings, destroy infrastructure, and kill and injure thousands of people. In order to reduce the impact of earthquakes on human life and to prepare hospitals to cope with future disasters, this paper discusses earthquake-related damage to healthcare facilities. It investigates the damage to 34 healthcare facilities in seven countries caused by nine earthquakes between 1994 and 2004, in order to determine common and specific issues. The investigation shows that structural and architectural damage tended to be different and specific to the situation, while utility supplies and equipment damage were similar in most cases and some common trends emerged

Update on the development of emergency medicine as a specialty in Turkey

Emergency medical care, both prehospital and hospital-based, is currently provided by general practitioners in over 90% of the emergency departments in Turkey. In the early 1990s, government and university leaders recognized that Turkey needed to improve its emergency medical care system, and they chose to adapt the mature and tested Anglo-American model of emergency medicine (EM). EM was declared to be an independent specialty by the Ministry of Health in 1993. The first paramedic school and the first EM residency programme (36 months in length) were opened at the Dokuz Eylul University in 1993 and 1994, respectively. In 1995, the Emergency Medicine Association of Turkey (EMAT) was established. Today, there are 14 EM residency programmes around the country, and these are trying to design a common curriculum. The connection between departments is improving with annual meetings organized by EMAT. In addition, EMAT is developing international collaboration in the Middle East region. The Turkish government is trying to promote EM specialist physicians and paramedics in the national emergency care system. © 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc

Impact of the terrorist bombings of the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel synagogues on a hospital in Istanbul, Turkey

Objectives: The authors sought to estimate the impact of the open-air mass-casualty terrorist bombings of the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel Synagogues in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15, 2003, on the American Hospital (AH) in terms of resource utilization, epidemiologic outcomes, and time course of emergency needs. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study using data from hospital records of injured survivors who used the emergency department at AH on November 15, 2003, to determine the number and percentage of injured survivors who were hospitalized, received operative care, had specific injury types, had an Injury Severity Score 16, died, and arrived within certain time intervals. Results: AH received 69 (91 %) injured survivors from the scene, of which nine (12 %) were hospitalized and three (4 %) received operative care. Starting four hours after the initial blast, seven (9 %) injured survivors were transferred to AH from other hospitals, of which five (7 %) were hospitalized and four (5 %) received operative care. Of the 49 injured survivors from the scene with documented injuries, 43 (88 %) had injuries to the head or face, 42 (86 %) had lacerations, five (10 %) had fractures, one (2 %) had a penetrating eye injury, one (2%) had a serious intracranial injury, and none had primary blast injuries. Four (5 %) injured survivors at AH had an Injury Severity Score greater than or equal to 16, and none died. Conclusions: Seventy-six injured survivors used the emergency department at AH, including a delayed wave of injured survivors transferred from other hospitals. The majority of injured survivors with documented injuries had non-life-threatening lacerations of the head or face, and relatively few injured survivors were hospitalized or received operative care

Impact of the terrorist bombings of the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Corporation headquarters and the British consulate on two hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2003

Background. The authors sought to estimate the impact of the terrorist bombings of the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation headquarters and the British consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 20, 2003, on two nearby hospitals, in terms of epidemiologic outcomes, resource utilization, and time course of emergency needs

Which method is the most reliable in determination of bladder capacity in children with idiopathic overactive bladder? A comparison of maximum voided volume, uroflowmetry and maximum cystometric capacity

Objective: To compare uroflowmetry, maximum cystometric capacity and maximum voided volume in terms of bladder capacity (BC) estimation in children with idiopathic overactive bladder