H2H Project: A Practical Solution for Medical Surge
Team Colorado (L-R) Megan Nies, Jenny Schmitz, Dr. Jason Persoff, Amy Herron, Dr. Charlie Little, and Ryan Schultz unveil version 1 of the H2H Playbook in October 2024.
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)
Team Colorado created the Hotel2Hospital (H2H) Conversion Guidebook that describes the conversion of a hotel with more than 150 rooms into an Alternate Care Facility (ACF) capable of hospital-level care (both intensive care and medical-surgical capability). The H2H ACF would be operational within 2-4 weeks and operate as a “wing” of a hospital for 3+ months. To validate the concept, Team Colorado conducted a series of exercises and converted a portion of a hotel into an H2H.
Funding Source and Scenario
In October 2023, the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) was selected as one of three national sites to receive a grant to provide a solution for A Modular, Scalable Alternate Care Facility for Patient Surge. This initiative seeks to bolster medical surge capabilities and enhance our capacity to manage combat casualties while also informing national improvements to the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). The Department of Defense (DoD) has outlined the following planning scenario: A medical surge of 1,000 combat casualties per day for 100 days returning to the US from overseas conflict.
Team Colorado created the Hotel2Hospital (H2H) Conversion Guidebook that describes the conversion of a hotel with more than 150 rooms into an Alternate Care Facility (ACF) capable of hospital-level care (both intensive care and medical-surgical capability). The H2H ACF would be operational within 2-4 weeks and operate as a “wing” of a hospital for 3+ months. To validate the concept, Team Colorado conducted a series of exercises and converted a portion of a hotel into an H2H.
Funding Source and Scenario
In October 2023, the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) was selected as one of three national sites to receive a grant to provide a solution for A Modular, Scalable Alternate Care Facility for Patient Surge. This initiative seeks to bolster medical surge capabilities and enhance our capacity to manage combat casualties while also informing national improvements to the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). The Department of Defense (DoD) has outlined the following planning scenario: A medical surge of 1,000 combat casualties per day for 100 days returning to the US from overseas conflict.
|
Our Work
Year 1: Research. We worked with architects, engineers, clinicians, and hospital experts to design our concept and write the first version of our H2H Conversion Materials. Read our Year 1 Concept Brief HERE. Year 2: Proof of Concept. We conducted a series of discussion-based exercises and were joined by a general contractor to convert portions of a hotel into a hospital using our H2H Conversion Materials. Read our Year 2 Concept Brief HERE. Year 3: New Site, New Version, and a Lasting Legacy. As we wrap up this project in year 3, we will take our H2H concept to another site to validate our work outside of Colorado, and we will update our materials as we continue to learn. We will also work with our partners to design and pilot a curriculum for medical surge planners. |
Our Partners
Team Colorado is pleased to participate with Deloitte Consulting LLP and the University of California Davis to finalize and provide the Hospital Expansion Solution (HxS) Deployment Playbook. It provides four HxS solutions (soft-sided, hard-sided, hard-and-soft hybrid, and hotel conversions); outlines their selection, activation, operation, and demobilization; and offers detailed guidance on staffing, logistics, utilities, clinical support, and regulatory coordination. The HxS Playbook will be available in October 2026. |
Our Photos
The H2H Guidebook was funded as part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Capability Pilot to provide a solution for A Modular, Scalable Alternate Care Facility for Patient Surge and is sponsored by the Government under Other Transaction Number W81XWH-15-9-0001. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the US Government.