Rising from the Storm: Effective Hurricane Preparedness Strategies Implemented at Hospitals in New Orleans

Summary: As climate change brings more rapid intensification, severity, and frequency of hurricanes, it is critical to look to lessons learned from the past to increase healthcare resiliency for the future. Twenty years ago, New Orleans lay devastated from Hurricane Katrina. Since the storm, it has rebuilt a healthcare system that is structurally and operationally fortified and has been put to the test multiple times in recent years. This presentation describes changes made to infrastructure, planning, staffing, communications, supplies, logistics, and patient tracking at a vital New Orleans hospital that enable the facility to remain functional and self-sufficient through major hurricanes and their aftermath.