Backup Power in Healthcare Requires Correct Connectivity for Outage Protection

September 23, 2019      

A careful assessment helps hospitals to strengthen their systems

Even though the vast majority of U.S. hospitals are properly equipped with backup generators in case of a power outage in their area, one in 20 are not fully prepared for such an event, according to a recent survey of health care facility managers.

An outage would result in an estimated loss of $1 million a day in revenue and other costs plus a potentially damaged reputation that could impact future revenue.

Value engineering, the addition of more space to a facility and the age of the backup equipment are factors that can impact the correct backup power capacity, according to the report and health care facility experts.

Even though most hospitals have adequate backup power and conduct the required testing and maintenance of equipment, they still may not be ready for an outage for other reasons.

Unless or until an outage occurs, hospitals likely will not know which equipment or systems other than required life safety will function with just backup power.

During a long outage when a hospital is running on backup generators, things start to get exposed where you don't have the right elevators operating or you don't have the right hallways lit to transport patients in and out.

It's difficult to assess which systems are wired into the backup power supply until an outage occurs, and many hospitals don't do it because it is not required or they have not experienced an outage.

Making the outage readiness determination can be done internally, but it is time-consuming, labor-intensive and cost-prohibitive because of the work involved.

Instead, hospitals should take the next step, which goes beyond just keeping a generator at your facility, by addressing circuitry to the generator," he says.

The importance of ensuring fuel delivery for the backup power system in an emergency cannot be overstated.

To get fuel to your facility in an outage, you need to have some kind of plan or contract with a fuel delivery company to make sure you are on their list of customers they must serve. Many hospitals fail to do that.

For more information, contact South Shore Generator in Wareham, MA. 

Source: hfmmagazine.com

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