Grant: Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19

In April 2020 a 100-bed temporary hospital was established to accommodate COVID-19 patients in Calgary, Alberta. Motivated to respond rapidly to a crisis situation, the hospital was constructed and ready for occupancy in two weeks. While a two-week installation timeline for a complete hospital is good, the rate of need from infection to needing hospitalization can be two to ten days. During an outbreak, two weeks is too long to be adequately responsive. The two primary suppliers, Sprung Instant Structures Ltd. and Falkbuilt Ltd. believe a pop-up hospital can be erected and ready for occupancy within one-week. These highly flexible builds can be installed anywhere in Canada and around the globe: rural, remote and urban. The objective of this COVID-19 response, applied research project, is to contribute to the solution of community innovation challenges through a study of the historical implementation process of a pop-up hospital in the parking lot at the Peter Lougheed hospital in Calgary. The project will seek to understand the experience, lessons learned and then produce a novel outline of the requirements to deliver a new hospital within one week.This very short time frames covers from authorization to occupancy. The outcomes enable a faster response capacity for COVID-19 or other crisis situations requiring a quick and complete hospital infrastructure. This will ensure all Canadian will have access to a safe medical environment in times of high need, where ever they live.