Portable Infection Control System: Mobile Medical Shelters for Surge Capabilities and Other Medical Emergencies

Abstract

ISSUE: Can a Portable Isolation Containment System (PICS) meet the need for a suitable medical shelter in the field and provide the isolation requirements for infectious patients during surge or emergency conditions? PROJECT: An exercise was conducted using a PICS solution to determine the effectiveness of using a PICS for emergency (search and rescue) or surge conditions in the aftermath of bioterrorism, outbreaks of infectious disease, or natural disaster event. The exercise was designed to evaluate emergency medical facility's needs: to set up easily at an emergency site, to provide HVAC capability, to provide a negative-pressure environment according to CDC guidelines, and to use the modular PICS to expand an emergency medical facility based on patient need. RESULTS: The product evaluation demonstrated that the PICS met the needs of providing emergency medical facilities for surge capacity, surge processing, or onsite search and rescue. The system effectively controlled the facility air environment (heating/cooling) and met the isolation room guidelines developed by CDC for airborne infection isolation. The 19′ x 35′ shelter module with a 20′ diameter hub module can be integrated to form an expandable medical facility. LESSONS LEARNED: The system is fully functional for the designed purpose as a modular, turn-key medical emergency shelter to accommodate required increases in hospital capacity beyond the normal and routine capability.