Analysis of patients treated during four Disaster Medical Assistance Team deployments

Nufer, Kevin E.; Wilson-Ramirez, Gina; Shah, Mark; Hughes, Christopher E.; Crandall, Cameron

doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2005.03.020

Cited by 16 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Power supply and battery life need to be considered (41). Specific items of equipment include point-of-care testing (POCT) and ultrasound, as access to diagnostic facilities may help decrease the numbers transferred to remaining hospital facilities (45). POCT should be considered by international assistance teams (41), and has proven useful in airborne critical care and during the Hurricane Katrina response (46).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Logistic support provided to Australian disaster medical assistance teams: results of a national survey of team members

Aitken

Leggat

Harley

et al. 2012

Emerging Health Threats Journal

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BackgroundIt is likely that calls for disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs) continue in response to international disasters. As part of a national survey, the present study was designed to evaluate the Australian DMAT experience and the need for logistic support.MethodsData were collected via an anonymous mailed survey distributed via State and Territory representatives on the Australian Health Protection Committee, who identified team members associated with Australian DMAT deployments from the 2004 Asian Tsunami disaster.ResultsThe response rate for this survey was 50% (59/118). Most of the personnel had deployed to the South East Asian Tsunami affected areas. The DMAT members had significant clinical and international experience. There was unanimous support for dedicated logistic support with 80% (47/59) strongly agreeing. Only one respondent (2%) disagreed with teams being self sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours. Most felt that transport around the site was not a problem (59%; 35/59), however, 34% (20/59) felt that transport to the site itself was problematic. Only 37% (22/59) felt that pre-deployment information was accurate. Communication with local health providers and other agencies was felt to be adequate by 53% (31/59) and 47% (28/59) respectively, while only 28% (17/59) felt that documentation methods were easy to use and reliable. Less than half (47%; 28/59) felt that equipment could be moved easily between areas by team members and 37% (22/59) that packaging enabled materials to be found easily. The maximum safe container weight was felt to be between 20 and 40 kg by 58% (34/59).ConclusionsThis study emphasises the importance of dedicated logistic support for DMAT and the need for teams to be self sufficient for a minimum period of 72 hours. There is a need for accurate pre deployment information to guide resource prioritisation with clearly labelled pre packaging to assist access on site. Container weights should be restricted to between 20 and 40 kg, which would assist transport around the site, while transport to the site was seen as problematic. There was also support for training of all team members in use of basic equipment such as communications equipment, tents and shelters and water purification systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Logistic support provided to Australian disaster medical assistance teams: results of a national survey of team members

Aitken

Leggat

Harley

et al. 2012

Emerging Health Threats Journal

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“…21–30 Much of this literature focuses on direct casualties of a disaster or follows the impact on healthcare facilities for only a few days. In the immediate several days after a disaster, most injuries are relatively minor and result more often from the clean-up and recovery than from direct effects of the disaster.…”

Section: Health Sector Resilience: How the Pieces Fit Togethermentioning

confidence: 99%

A Community Checklist for Health Sector Resilience Informed by Hurricane Sandy

Toner¹,

McGinty²,

Schoch-Spana³

et al. 2017

Health Security

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This is a checklist of actions for healthcare, public health, nongovernmental organizations, and private entities to use to strengthen the resilience of their community’s health sector to disasters. It is informed by the experience of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey and analyzed in the context of findings from other recent natural disasters in the United States. The health sector is defined very broadly, including—in addition to hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS), and public health agencies—healthcare providers, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, home health providers, behavioral health providers, and correctional health services. It also includes community-based organizations that support these entities and represent patients. We define health sector resilience very broadly, including all factors that preserve public health and healthcare delivery under extreme stress and contribute to the rapid restoration of normal or improved health sector functioning after a disaster. We present the key findings organized into 8 themes. We then describe a conceptual map of health sector resilience that ties these themes together. Lastly, we provide a series of recommended actions for improving health sector resilience at the local level. The recommended actions emphasize those items that individuals who experienced Hurricane Sandy deemed to be most important. The recommendations are presented as a checklist that can be used by a variety of interested parties who have some role to play in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in their own communities. Following a general checklist are supplemental checklists that apply to specific parts of the larger health sector.

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“…The teams are staffed primarily by members who are not trained in critical care, and the teams are not equipped to provide critical care beyond initial resuscitation. 81 The primary responsibilities of DMATs include triaging patients, providing medical care in austere environments, and preparing patients for evacuation.…”

Section: Role Of Mutual Aidmentioning

confidence: 99%

Definitive Care for the Critically Ill During a Disaster: Current Capabilities and Limitations

Christian

Devereaux

Dichter

et al. 2008

Chest

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In the twentieth century, rarely have mass casualty events yielded hundreds or thousands of critically ill patients requiring definitive critical care. However, future catastrophic natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics, nuclear device detonations, or large chemical exposures may change usual disaster epidemiology and require a large critical care response. This article reviews the existing state of emergency preparedness for mass critical illness and presents an analysis of limitations to support the suggestions of the Task Force on Mass Casualty Critical Care, which are presented in subsequent articles. Baseline shortages of specialized resources such as critical care staff, medical supplies, and treatment spaces are likely to limit the number of critically ill victims who can receive life-sustaining interventions. The deficiency in critical care surge capacity is exacerbated by lack of a sufficient framework to integrate critical care within the overall institutional response and coordination of critical care across local institutions and broader geographic areas.

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Analysis of patients treated during four Disaster Medical Assistance Team deployments

Cited by 16 publications

References 5 publications

Logistic support provided to Australian disaster medical assistance teams: results of a national survey of team members

Logistic support provided to Australian disaster medical assistance teams: results of a national survey of team members

A Community Checklist for Health Sector Resilience Informed by Hurricane Sandy

Definitive Care for the Critically Ill During a Disaster: Current Capabilities and Limitations

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