As we have witnessed through recent natural disasters, hospitals are not immune to power loss. Even a brief disruption in power can affect many critical systems within the hospital. Medical vacuum is one example.
Most hospitals rely on a central source for their vacuum. Generally, a pump, or pumps, in the basement creates the vacuum that is delivered throughout the hospital through a series of pipes. Without electricity, the pump cannot function, and the vacuum is lost. Let’s review how this impacts normal hospital function and ways to mitigate this issue.