Providing critical care during a disaster: the interface between disaster response agencies and hospitals.
OBJECTIVE
Recent natural disasters have highlighted shortfall areas in current hospital disaster preparedness. These include the following: 1) insufficient coordination between hospitals and civil/governmental response agencies; 2) insufficient on-site critical care capability; 3) a lack of "portability" of acute care processes (i.e., patient transport and/or bringing care to the patient); 4) education shortfalls; and 5) the inability of hospitals to align disaster medical requirements with other competing priorities.


CONCLUSIONS
Definition of the roles and responsibilities of a hospital during a disaster requires additional planning precision beyond the prehospital response phase. Planners must also better define plans for circumstances when or if a hospital is rendered unusable. Disaster medical training of hospital personnel has been inadequate. This article details the specifics of these issues and outlines various potential approaches to begin addressing and formulating remedies to these shortfalls.
Program in Translational Immunovirology and Biodefense, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA.
J Christopher
JC
Farmer
Paul K
PK
Carlton
D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006752:Hospital Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011634:Public Health; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States