Sector leader says hospitals, clinics are prepared for drought

By THE STAR STAFF

Health Services Administrators Association of Puerto Rico (CASS by its acronym in Spanish) President Tania Conde Sterling gave assurances on Wednesday that hospitals and other health facilities are prepared to respond to a possible drought declaration and that, as part of their preparedness protocols, they have activated their emergency and operational continuity plans to ensure that medical services continue to be offered safely and uninterruptedly.

Conde noted that the administration of hospitals and health facilities in Puerto Rico is highly regulated and requires compliance with strict legal, regulatory and operational requirements aimed at protecting the health and safety of patients, particularly during emergency situations.

“We want to send a message of reassurance to the public,” she said. “We don’t improvise at hospitals; we have manuals of rules, procedures, and protocols for all types of scenarios based on best practices and regulated by the Department of Health and other regulatory and accrediting entities. All emergencies bring surprises, but now we have a direct line to the Secretary of Health, Dr. Víctor Ramos, and his team. Our facilities are prepared and are activating the established protocols to guarantee the continuity of services.”

The CASS president added that a possible reduction in the water supply represents a significant operational challenge for any hospital institution, which is why hospitals have specific plans to manage the essential resource without compromising patient care.

“The availability of water is essential for the functioning of emergency rooms, operating theaters, intensive care units, dialysis centers, clinical laboratories, instrument sterilization, food preparation, infection control, and hospital hygiene,” Conde said. “That is precisely why these scenarios are part of the emergency plans that each institution keeps updated.”