Addressing a Climate Emergency Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study on a Hospital Evacuation During the 2021 European Floods

Introduction: In July 2021, several European countries were affected by severe floods, with water levels of the river Meuse reaching a record high. It was decided to completely evacuate VieCuri Medical Center (Venlo, the Netherlands), a hospital directly adjacent to this river. This study aimed to explore the decision-making process of this emergency hospital evacuation. Methods: This interview-based qualitative study assessed the decision-making process for this hospital evacuation. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eleven key participants and analyzed according to the principles of thematic content analysis. Results: Three themes were constructed from the interviews: risk assessment, COVID-19 experience, and collaboration. The hospital’s preparedness for evacuation could be improved by thoroughly analyzing locoregional hazards and preparing for loss of regional healthcare capacity. The use of a national patient coordination center, which was established during the pandemic, enabled the rapid assessment of the capacity of destination hospitals and facilitated patient transfers. Conclusion: The experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the availability of a national patient coordination center were key factors in performing this evacuation. Hospitals should regularly assess potential contingencies and plan for (locoregional) loss of health care services.