Rapid nighttime evacuation of a veterans hospital

Loss of essential utilities and danger of explosion forced a rapid nighttime winter evacuation of 229 patients from an acute-care Veterans Administration hospital. Although distribution of patients to recipient hospitals was not optimal, and the location of several patients could not be documented for more than 24 hours, the evacuation in subfreezing weather went smoothly. Continuity of care and careful planning permitted an orderly return to the hospital five days later. Although financial costs were high, no excess mortality or morbidity was associated with the evacuation. No changes in pharyngeal gram-negative bacterial flora of the patients were noted. Further, a critique is presented to aid in planning for similar emergencies elsewhere.