MILOT, Haiti, and INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Jan. 12, 2010, is one of those days the world won’t forget. When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, unspeakable tragedy was heaped onto the world’s poorest country, leaving an estimated 300,000 dead, 1 million homeless, countless casualties with complicated injuries and severely limited access to already inadequate care. An unimaginable burden was placed on hospitals such as Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Milot which survived structural collapse. When the disaster struck, Indianapolis-based CareLink responded rapidly with life-saving relief in the form of warehouse space, materials, labor, two dozen shipping containers of food and medical supplies and $30,000 in raised financial donations.
Two and a half years later, another call for help has been answered by CareLink, an initiative started in 2008 by Duke Realty of Indianapolis, Ind.
Administered by a volunteer committee that helps facilitate collaboration, CareLink has taken the lead in putting together a team of industry experts to provide pro bono infrastructure and planning advice for a $3.4-million expansion at Hôpital Sacré Coeur, the region’s largest private hospital and biggest employer. Under the operation of the CRUDEM Foundation for the past 26 years, Hôpital Sacré Coeur survived the earthquake, is humming with activity and saw more than 50,000 outpatient visits in 2011. CRUDEM asked CareLink for help with the much-needed expansion in 2010. The team was able to engage the services of BSA LifeStructures to complete a survey of the existing property and its previously undocumented infrastructure. The result is an up-to-date, “as-is” condition assessment, which has paved the way for a new master plan of the entire hospital campus, and coordinated strategy for constructing new buildings and making improvements to the existing facility.
“There are challenges in developing countries just getting the economics, raw materials and skill sets together,” says David Martin, a Duke Realty vice president and team leader of the CareLink program. “During the past 26 years, this hospital had various electrical and plumbing upgrades that were more or less patched together. The result was that they had no comprehensive understanding of what they had in a network. For them to get an as-is condition of their functioning, patched-together system is a major accomplishment. That alone will lead to an even better master plan for improvements to the hospital.”
Plans call for an expansion to the existing outpatient clinic to 120 beds from 73 beds, a new women’s center, a family shelter and facilities for patients’ visiting relatives. Included in the master plan are significant improvements to the hospital’s electrical, sanitation and water systems. In addition, construction of a new residence hall for volunteer team members has been donated. BSA LifeStructures is also evaluating alternative energy sources to power the facility in sustainable ways, such as using solid waste to create energy.
Team visits and assessments are under way, with construction slated to begin in 2013. For more information, visit www.dukerealty.com/healthcare.
