Facility Preparedness for Biological Emergencies: Lessons from AUBMC's Oxygen System Overhaul.

Biological emergencies strain health care facilities that are typically designed to accommodate routine surges. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in hospital oxygen delivery systems worldwide, resulting in ventilator failures and disruptions in patient care. At the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), the Emergency Department experienced significant challenges in maintaining the oxygen delivery system due to the unprecedented oxygen demand, over-frosting of pipelines, and system-wide depressurization. In response, the AUBMC established the Emergency Engineering Response Team (EERT) to rapidly develop and implement innovative, engineering-based strategies. This report shares the challenges faced by the AUBMC during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, details the solutions implemented, and provides recommendations to strengthen health care facility preparedness for future biological emergencies.