Response by Twin Italian Hub Hospitals in a Double Seismic Event: A Retrospective Observational Investigation.

INTRODUCTION

The objectives of this study were to compare prevalence rates of different pathologies, ambulance system and emergency department management times, and patient survival and hazard ratios for codes 2 and 3 in two hub hospitals in Modena in the 36-month period across the stages of two major earthquakes in short sequence in Northern Italy in 2012.

METHODS

Clinical records pertaining to the emergency care of patients were analyzed and only those assigned status codes 2 and 3 by ambulance professionals were included (if the assessment was confirmed by emergency department triage). The statistical analysis of data was divided by three time periods studied: before, during/between, and after the earthquakes.

RESULTS

Among the 2,278 retained records, there were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of the main pathologies presented at the two hubs in the studied period. A Cox regression model was used to analyze the survival of patients in the different stages of the emergency; there were no statistically significant differences in the hazard ratios of death before, during, and after the earthquake. The study found a significant increase in emergency department treatment times.

DISCUSSION

Redundancies in the Modena medical system were found to have compensated for damaged hospital facilities. In particular, they helped emergency systems reorganize themselves faster in order to bring medical assistance to people during and around seismic events with as a minimal amount of disruption as possible.

CONCLUSION

The Modena medical system was redundant and ensured that disrupted emergency systems were reorganized and put back online while damaged hospital facilities were compensated for/reproduced elsewhere.