• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Large earthquakes rattle California hospitals, while the bill to keep them open grows larger

Healthcare Life Safety Compliance, September 1, 2019

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

July quakes shake the West Coast

By John Palmer

A new study warns that retrofitting California’s hospitals to withstand large earthquakes may cost billions of dollars more than thought. Meanwhile, a series of large temblors recently occurred in the southern part of the state, showing why those changes are needed.

The new report estimates it will cost hospitals between $34 billion and $143 billion to become quake compliant by 2030 and comply with California law. The report, funded by the California Hospital Association and administered by Rand Corporation, examined whether the state’s hospitals will be able to comply with the law, particularly the 2030 deadline.

“Results from quantitative and qualitative analyses indicate that, despite decades of investment in seismic compliance projects, California hospitals still face a financial obligation potentially totaling tens of billions of dollars by 2030,” the report said. “Many hospitals are already experiencing financial stress, and the burden of future compliance is likely to exacerbate this stress.”

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive