title: Hurricane Katrina: medical response at the Houston Astrodome/Reliant Center Complex.
abstract: On September 1, 2005, with only 12 hours notice, various collaborators established a medical facility--the Katrina Clinic--at the Astrodome/Reliant Center Complex in Houston. By the time the facility closed roughly two weeks later, the Katrina Clinic medical staff had seen over 11,000 of the estimated 27,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees who sought shelter in the Complex. Herein, we describe the scope of this medical response, citing our major challenges, successes, and recommendations for conducting similar efforts in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 3701 Kirby, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77098, USA. tgavagan@bcm.edu
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Gavagan
authors.forename: Kieran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.forename: Herminia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Palacio
authors.forename: Carmel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sirbaugh
authors.forename: Avrim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fishkind
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Umair
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masi
authors.forename: R Todd
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Ivey
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Faye Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Chiou-Tan
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bloodworth
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hyman
authors.forename: Cliff
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Whigham
authors.forename: Valory
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pavlik
authors.forename: Ralph D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Feigin
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mattox
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration; D015980:Public Health Practice; D011871:Radiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000458:organization & administration; D012066:Relief Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013781:Texas; D014218:Triage