the last few years with groups of patients who had to be admitted immediately. Several systems of tracking these patients were evaluated and the most simple and practical appiicable system was a bar-code system using the EAN (European Article Numbering) 128 symbol technique. This system is called the ABC (Automation Barcode and Chaos) system. Using this system, the team that is in charge of command and control has been able to maintain a continuous overview of the situation. Apart from patient identification and tracking, the system also includes in the registration process indicators of urgency and primary diagnoses. This system has been used during several accidents associated with the admission of multiple victims. The highest number of patients admitted using this system was 143 during the evacuation of another hospital because of the threat of a flood.It seems that less errors were made in comparison with manual registration while more information was stored. Pilot studies are being performed to evaluate this method by using it first in a prehospital environment.The ABC system already has attracted national and international attention. In principle, bar-codes can be used for regular care, replacing the existing hospital punch cards. In the Emergency Hospital, the system already has proven its value. Key Words: automatic data processing; bar-codes; disaster management and planning; patient registration; triage systems The Department of Multiple and Combined Trauma contains 75 beds in a city of 1.5 million population and has been functioning for five years. The team includes: 33 general surgeons, 2 orthopedic surgeons, and one neurosurgeon on-call 24 hours per day. The examination period which parallels the beginning of liquidation of severe disturbances of the cardiovascular system lasts 30 minutes. Examination includes: pleural puncture and drainage, peritoneal lavage, laparoscopy, ultrasound examination, echoencephalography, CT-scanning, X-ray and laboratory examinations. Videolaparscopy and videothoracoscopy are used widely in cases of superficial ruptures of abdominal solid organs, for stopping of hemorrhage from injured intercostal vessels, for sewing lung ruptures, and for liquification of curdled haemothorax, etc. There were 12,242 operations performed in the Department of Multiple and Combined Trauma during the five years. There were 6,393 patients with polytrauma treated, of which 49.8% were severe cases. The mortality rate decreased progressively from 37.2% in 1991 to 26.5% in 1996, due to the improvement of the organization of medical aid and the use of modern equipment. This presentation describes an organizational model of an information center developed by the Social Work Department of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center based on our experience with mass disasters. The Information Center is designed to provide information upon the arrival of mass casualties at the hospital following terrorist attacks or other catastrophes. The Information Center is comprised of a number of inter-related units with...

BackgroundAlcohol use is a major preventable public health problem with serious health and social consequences especially among youth. In Israel, alcohol use has become an emerging problem during the last decade, and its use has increased among adolescents and young adults. Binge drinking is the common pattern of alcohol consumption among young adults who drink for recreational purposes. The present survey was conducted among 16–35 years old visitors to the ED. The aim was specifically to identify binge drinkers in order to assess the scope of the need for a brief counseling intervention among young people who arrive intoxicated to a large tertiary care urban ED in Israel.MethodsThe survey was conducted throughout a 1 week period (24 h per day) at the general EDs in a large, tertiary care center, situated in Tel Aviv. During the survey week, 946 individuals, aged 16-35, visited the ED and 573 (63%) of them were approached for an interview. 89% of those approached agreed to be interviewed. Consenting patients [N = 348] were asked whether they drink any alcohol, how often they drink and how much.ResultsAbout one fifth of those interviewed were in the habit of consuming more than four units of alcohol per occasion. Drinking several times a week or every day was reported by 19% of the males and 26% of the females. Frequency of the drinking episodes was highly correlated with the number of units of drink per occasion.ConclusionsThe study found a very high rate of binge drinking among ED visitors, and this suggests a need for large scale ED-based interventions. As binge drinkers are at elevated risk for accidents, violence and related problems, effective ED-based interventions could make an important contribution to public health. Accordingly, Israel is in the process of assessing the effectiveness of a large-scale ED-based counseling intervention.Trial registrationTrial registration number 0230-13-TLV.

The Emergency Information Center model developed by the social work department of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center is activated in cases of mass casualties following disasters. It aims to provide reliable information to help the public cope with confusion and uncertainty, and to enable the medical staff to concentrate on treating the casualties. The Information Center is comprised of several interrelated units within the hospital, and maintains contact with a range of community organizations. The article describes the structure and activities of the various units, and discusses a number of aspects relevant to personnel organization in crisis intervention.

The article describes an organizational model of an information center, developed by the social work department of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. The information center is designed to provide information when mass casualties are brought to the hospital following terrorist attacks or other catastrophes. The information center is comprised of a number of interrelated units within the hospital and is in contact with a range of organizations in the community. The structure and activities of the various units is described. The article also discusses a number of aspects relevant to personnel organization in crisis intervention.