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A catastrophic emergency, such as a large-scale bioattack, a natural disaster, or a severe influenza pandemic, will likely overwhelm hospitals and other traditional healthcare facilities. Hospitals will need to increase their surge capacity, but other measures may be required for communities to meet the increased demands that will be placed on the medical system.¹ One way to meet this need may be to provide medical care in alternative care facilities, such as mobile field hospitals, schools, shuttered hospitals, stadiums, arenas, or other available facilities. The federal government, state and local public health agencies, and the Joint Commission all have called for hospitals and communities to make plans for alternative care facilities for the delivery of medical care in a disaster or a severe pandemic.