scholarly journals Prehospital Trauma Care in Disasters and Other Mass Casualty Incidents – A Proposal for Hospital-Based Special Medical Response Teams

Cureus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Neeki ◽  
Stephen DuMontier ◽  
Jake Toy ◽  
Benjamin Archambeau ◽  
Eric Goralnick ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
Magnus Blimark ◽  
Per Örtenwall ◽  
Hans Lönroth ◽  
Peter Mattsson ◽  
Kenneth D. Boffard ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In Sweden the surgical surge capacity for mass casualty incidents (MCI) is managed by county councils within their dedicated budget. It is unclear whether healthcare budget constraints have affected the regional MCI preparedness. This study was designed to investigate the current surgical MCI preparedness at Swedish emergency hospitals. Methods Surveys were distributed in 2015 to department heads of intensive care units (ICU) and surgery at 54 Swedish emergency hospitals. The survey contained quantitative measures as the number of (1) surgical trauma teams in hospital and available after activating the disaster plan, (2) surgical theatres suitable for multi-trauma care, and (3) surgical ICU beds. The survey was also distributed to the Armed Forces Centre for Defence Medicine. Results 53 hospitals responded to the survey (98%). Included were 10 university hospitals (19%), 42 county hospitals (79%), and 1 private hospital (2%). Within 8 h the surgical capacity could be increased from 105 to 399 surgical teams, while 433 surgical theatres and 480 ICU beds were made available. The surgical surge capacity differed between university hospitals and county hospitals, and regional differences were identified regarding the availability of surgical theatres and ICU beds. Conclusions The MCI preparedness of Swedish emergency care hospitals needs further attention. To improve Swedish surgical MCI preparedness a national strategy for trauma care in disaster management is necessary.


Author(s):  
Johannes Nordsteien Svensøy ◽  
Helene Nilsson ◽  
Rune Rimstad

Abstract Introduction and Objective: Scientific reporting on major incidents, mass-casualty incidents (MCIs), and disasters is challenging and made difficult by the nature of the medical response. Many obstacles might explain why there are few and primarily non-heterogenous published articles available. This study examines the process of scientific reporting through first-hand experiences from authors of published reports. It aims to identify learning points and challenges that are important to address to mitigate and improve scientific reporting after major incidents. Methods: This was a qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected based on a comprehensive literature search. Ten researchers, who had published reports on major incidents, MCIs, or disasters from 2013-2018 were included, of both genders, from eight countries on three continents. The researchers reported on large fires, terrorist attacks, shootings, complex road accidents, transportation accidents, and earthquakes. Results: The interview was themed around initiation, workload, data collection, guidelines/templates, and motivation factors for reporting. The most challenging aspects of the reporting process proved to be a lack of dedicated time, difficulties concerning data collection, and structuring the report. Most researchers had no prior experience in reporting on major incidents. Guidelines and templates were often chosen based on how easily accessible and user-friendly they were. Conclusion and Relevance: There are few articles presenting first-hand experience from the process of scientific reporting on major incidents, MCIs, and disasters. This study presents motivation factors, challenges during reporting, and factors that affected the researchers’ choice of reporting tools such as guidelines and templates. This study shows that the structural tools available for gathering data and writing scientific reports need to be more widely promoted to improve systematic reporting in Emergency and Disaster Medicine. Through gathering, comparing, and analyzing data, knowledge can be acquired to strengthen and improve responses to future major incidents. This study indicates that transparency and willingness to share information are requisite for forming a successful scientific report.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 492-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Kuhls ◽  
Paul J. Chestovich ◽  
Phillip Coule ◽  
Dale M. Carrison ◽  
Charleston M. Chua ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundMedical response to mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) requires specialized training and preparation. Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS) is a course designed to prepare health care workers for a MCI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the confidence of health care professionals in Thailand to face a MCI after participating in a BDLS course.MethodsBasic Disaster Life Support was taught to health care professionals in Thailand in July 2008. Demographics and medical experience were recorded, and participants rated their confidence before and after the course using a five-point Likert scale in 11 pertinent MCI categories. Survey results were compiled and compared with P<.05 statistically significant.ResultsA total of 162 health care professionals completed the BDLS course and surveys, including 78 physicians, 70 nurses, and 14 other health care professionals. Combined confidence increased among all participants (2.1 to 3.8; +1.7; P<.001). Each occupation scored confidence increases in each measured area (P<.001). Nurses had significantly lower pre-course confidence but greater confidence increase, while physicians had higher pre-course confidence but lower confidence increase. Active duty military also had lower pre-course confidence with significantly greater confidence increases, while previous disaster courses or experience increased pre-course confidence but lower increase in confidence. Age and work experience did not influence confidence.ConclusionBasic Disaster Life Support significantly improves confidence to respond to MCI situations, but nurses and active duty military benefit the most from the course. Future courses should focus on these groups to prepare for MCIs.KuhlsDA, ChestovichPJ, Coule P, CarrisonDM, ChuaCM, Wora-UraiN, KanchanarinT. Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS) training improves first responder confidence to face mass-casualty incidents in Thailand. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(5):492–500.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s78-s78
Author(s):  
Haojun Fan ◽  
Shike Hou ◽  
Yanmei Zhao

Introduction:More and more hospitals are using the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) for organizational management under emergency conditions. HICS is an incident management system based on principles of the Incident Command System (ICS), which assists hospitals and healthcare organizations in improving their emergency management planning, response, and recovery capabilities for unplanned and planned events. This study aims to explore how Chinese hospitals manage their organizations with HICS in Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI).Aim:To explore the feasibility of HICS in Chinese hospitals under MCI.Methods:A combination of literature analysis and empirical research was used in this study. Through case studies and experience summarization, the necessity and feasibility of the incident command system (ICS) and the emergency medical response system (EMRS) was demonstrated in the early stage of MCI. Based on this, a new "1 SECTION-5 GROUPS-10 TEAMS " model was proposed, and its value of practical application was discussed in MCI.Results:Multiple resources must be mobilized In MCI, and it is necessary to establish an ICS and an EMRS as soon as possible in the early stages of MCI. The earlier ICS is set up, the more initiative can be taken. The "1 SECTION-5 GROUPS-10 TEAMS" model proposed in this study has a good effect on the practice of drills and rescues, indicating that this model has a certain promotion effect in the hospital's response to MCI.Discussion:The "1 SECTION-5 GROUPS-10 TEAMS" model has high feasibility and can be further verified in the subsequent rescue practice.


Author(s):  
Wesley D Jetten ◽  
Jeroen Seesink ◽  
Markus Klimek

Abstract Objective: The primary aim of this study is to review the available tools for prehospital triage in case of mass casualty incidents and secondly, to develop a tool which enables lay person first responders (LPFRs) to perform triage and start basic life support in mass casualty incidents. Methods: In July 2019, online databases were consulted. Studies addressing prehospital triage methods for lay people were analyzed. Secondly, a new prehospital triage tool for LPFRs was developed. Therefore, a search for prehospital triage models available in literature was conducted and triage actions were extracted. Results: The search resulted in 6188 articles, and after screening, a scoping review of 4 articles was conducted. All articles stated that there is great potential to provide accurate prehospital triage by people with no healthcare experience. Based on these findings, and combined with the pre-existing prehospital triage tools, we developed a, not-yet validated, prehospital triage tool for lay people, which may improve disaster awareness and preparedness and might positively contribute to community resilience. Conclusion: The prehospital triage tool for lay person first responders may be useful and may help professional medical first responders to determine faster, which casualties most urgently need help in a mass casualty incident.


2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 691-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moishe Liberman ◽  
Bahman S Roudsari

Injury ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amila Ratnayake ◽  
Sanjeewa Garusinghe ◽  
Miklosh Bala ◽  
Tamara J. Worlton

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya-I Hsu ◽  
Ying C. Huang

AbstractIntroductionMedical history is an important contributor to diagnosis and patient management. In mass-casualty incidents (MCIs), health care providers are often overwhelmed by large numbers of casualties. An efficient, reliable, and affordable method of information collection is essential for effective health care response.Hypothesis/ProblemIn some MCIs, self-reporting of symptoms can decrease the time required for history taking, without sacrificing the completeness of triage information.MethodsTwo resident doctors and a number of seventh graders who had previous experience of abdominal discomfort were invited to join this study. A questionnaire was developed to collect information on common symptoms in food poisoning. Each question was scored, and enrolled students were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group students answered the questionnaire first and then were interviewed to complete the medical history. The control group students were interviewed in the traditional way to collect medical history. Time of all interviews was measured and recorded. The time needed to complete the history taking and completeness of obtained information were compared with students’ t tests, or Mann-Whitney U tests, based on the normality of data. Comprehensibility of each question, scored by enrolled students, was reported by descriptive statistics.ResultsThere were 41 students enrolled: 22 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group. Time to complete history taking in the experimental group (163.0 seconds, SD=52.3) was shorter than that in the control group (198.7 seconds, SD=40.9) (P=.010). There was no difference in the completeness of history obtained between the experimental group and the control group (94.8%, SD=5.0 vs 94.2%, SD=6.1; P=.747). Between the two doctors, no significant difference was found in the time required for history taking (185.2 seconds, SD=42.2 vs 173.1 seconds, SD=58.6; P=.449), or the completeness of information (94.1%, SD=5.9 vs 95.0%, SD=5.0; P=.601). Most of the questions were scored “good” in comprehensibility.ConclusionSelf-reporting of symptoms can shorten the time of history taking during a food poisoning mass-casualty event without sacrificing the completeness of information.HsuY, HuangYC. Does self-reporting facilitate history taking in food poisoning mass-casualty incidents?Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(4):1-4.


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