Climate change response and recovery

Image courtesy of Children's Health, Dallas

This series explores the impacts of climate change and climate events on health care facilities, and the planning, preparedness and response efforts of health care organizations.

Environmental equity and the role of health care facilities

The effects of climate change, including natural disasters, are a public health issue of which many vulnerable communities bear the brunt

How one hospital prepared for the effects of extreme heat

Effective planning and preparation are essential to ensure that extreme heat doesn’t bring operations to a standstill

Hospitals weather cold temps with proven practices

Dealing with extreme cold weather has become a greater issue for hospitals in recent years

Record drought conditions pose serious challenges to hospitals

Hospitals strategize to protect their operations from the severe impacts of dry conditions and water restrictions 

Hurricane planning and preparedness becomes more crucial

As hurricanes continue to intensify, health care facilities must prepare for the worst by streamlining best practices for decision-making

Hospitals must prepare for deadlier, more destructive wildfires

The immediate and long-term impacts of destructive wildfires extend beyond a health care facility’s walls into the community and beyond

Today's flood planning strategies reflect lessons from the past

A devastating storm over two decades ago changed the course of flood preparedness and response in health care facilities

Decarbonization mandates spread across the country 

Hospitals are proactively addressing pollution and climate change through a multifaceted and comprehensive approach

Health care facilities prepare for worsening climate change impact

Past experience offers important insight into how hospitals can shore up facilities to stand against catastrophic adverse weather events