Dicle University Hospital’s hospital disaster plan and emergency service management: Kahramanmaraş earthquake experience

English (OpenAlex)

BACKGROUND: Hospitals, being establishments with varying functions and capacities, must have disaster plans that reduce vulnerability, ensure the continuity, and possibly increase the capacity of healthcare services; these measures are crucial for reducing mortality and facilitating the normalization of life after a disaster. In this study, the aim was to analyze the operational process of the disaster management plan at Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Hospital following the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş on 6 February 2023. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study. The study focused on determining the role of the hospital's disaster plan in crisis situations, specifically examining the emergency service task distribution and management. RESULTS: The study included patients aged 1 to 85 years (median 34, mean 36.9 ± 19.0), with 52.5% being female. The median injury severity score was 17 (mean 20.1 ± 19.2). Hospital admission was 65.7%, with nephrology and orthopedics being the most common departments. Higher injury severity scores were significantly associated with mortality (P < .05), and dialysis and surgery rates were significantly higher in deceased patients (P < .05). No significant differences were found in age, gender, or comorbidities between groups. CONCLUSION: The earthquake highlighted the importance of disaster preparedness in hospitals for effective patient care, collaboration among disciplines, and resource management. Detailed data on the hospital's disaster plan and its operational process during the earthquake were provided to underscore its critical role in managing the crisis. Lessons learned will shape future disaster response protocols, stressing continual evaluation and improvement in healthcare disaster readiness.