Functions and principles in the management of bombing mass casualty incidents: lessons learned at the Tel-Aviv Souraski Medical Center.
Mass casualty incidents (MCI) resulting from terrorist bombings pose special problems and may overwhelm even the most experienced trauma centre. Although role assignments for MCI management and control are documented, we would like to share several aspects that we have found to be crucial for the management of terrorist bombing MCI. Twelve topics and possible answers were brought up and discussed extensively in MCI debriefing sessions in our institution. They were of two main categories: assignments and functions of key personnel, and principles and definitions. The first category includes the Triage Officer, the Medical Director, the Administrative Director, the Head Nurse, the Emergency Medical System Coordinator, the Blood Bank Liaison, and the trauma teams. The second category encompasses the concept of triage hospital, the unidirectional patient flow, ancillary evaluation during MCI, the consultancy, and tertiary survey. All were identified as critical for proper event handling. The integration and implementation of the topics discussed throughout the medical system may enable emergency departments to handle MCI resulting from terrorist bombings better.
Kluger
Yoram
Y
Division of Trauma, Departments of Surgery, Tel-Aviv Souraski Medical Center, The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. klugery@hotmail.com
Mayo
Ami
A
Soffer
Dror
D
Aladgem
David
D
Halperin
Pinchas
P
D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004630:Emergencies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D005107:Explosions; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D023481:Terrorism; D014193:Trauma Centers