Photo courtesy NMG Workspace Solutions
THE BATTLESHIP ON THE GROUND Lessons learned from advancements in naval technology shed light on current vulnerabilities in hospital design By Chris McQuillan
I
n the 19th century, rapid technological advancement gave rise to the birth of the battleship. By the mid20th century, the Japanese Yamato-class ships stretched more than 850 feet, could hit speeds of 30 miles per hour and packed 18-inch artillery. Like superhospitals, the battleship represents the ‘all in gambit.’ It had the largest guns, thickest armor, best technology and was staffed by the most senior commanders. The battleship was a flagship, both literally and metaphorically. From the first, the HMS Dreadnought, to the last, the enormously powerful Yamato, the history of the battleship spans a brief period from 1906 to 1945. The HMS Dreadnought’s claim to fame was that it was
16 CANADIAN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
the only battleship to ever sink an enemy submarine. The ship was sold for scrap 15 years after its maiden voyage. The mighty Yamato helped take down two small vessels before being destroyed by American bombers during World War 2. What's most interesting is not what happened to these ships but why they were built in the first place. What appeared revolutionary at the time is now understood to be, at best, folly. Both were obsolete long before they put to sea. The battleship represented the pinnacle of military technology. It was considered invincible until it wasn’t. COVID-19, and the communicable diseases that preceded and will follow it, present similar challenges to the healthcare sector.
EVIDENCE OF VULNERABILITY
Like the unforeseen enemies of the battleship, superhospitals are similarly under attack by unpredictable forces — unknown viruses, climate change, natural and human-caused disasters, and exponential technological change. In August 2020, the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut put three of the Lebanese capital’s hospitals out of action. When superstorm Sandy hit New York City in 2012, several of the city’s major medical institutions had to be evacuated after multiple electrical and mechanical systems failed. Now, many hospitals are overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients amid the second wave of the pandemic. Today, hospitals are bigger than ever, packed with so many ancillary components
