When disasters strike, hospitals are put to the test—and at a time when their communities need them the most. With medical devices increasingly complicated and connected to computer networks, the threat posed by natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, to wipe out entire medical systems and undermine patient safety is serious. This cover story looks at what hospitals and other healthcare facilities can do to prepare, relaying the experiences of hospitals that have lived through killer storms. The article, which opens with a gripping account of what one New York City hospital experienced with superstorm Sandy, focuses on the work of healthcare technology professionals, whose work has become increasingly important in modern medicine. The article includes tips on how hospitals can prepare, with advice from federal regulators, information technology experts, hospital accreditation organizations, and more.
