Emergency situations such as biological or chemical incidents require prompt decision making. There are however only a limited set of formally declared procedures and principles of how to tackle such incidents. The aim of the paper is to introduce specific techniques of conceptual modelling that form a framework of decision making during emergency situations. The paper will present an ongoing r...

CEMPS is a prototype spatial decision support system which links the topographical support and analysis provided by a geographic information system, ARC/INFO, with thc ability to simulate the dynamics of an evacuation process. CEh4PS has been dcsigncd to enable emergency planners to experiment with differcnt emergency evacuation plans in ordcr to devise a plan which m m their rcquircmcnts. ARCn...

BACKGROUND The ability of emergency medical services (EMS) providers to offer an alternative means of nonemergent transport for patients with minor medical complaints is a rarely sanctioned concept in U.S. EMS systems. OBJECTIVE To prospectively determine if paramedics using transport guidelines can identify patients with minor medical problems who can be safely transported by a nonmedical al...

OBJECTIVES Recent events have reiterated the need for well-coordinated planning for mass-casualty events, including those that involve children. The objective of this study was to document the preparedness of prehospital emergency medical services agencies in the United States for the care of children who are involved in mass-casualty events. METHODS A national list of all licensed prehospita...

OBJECTIVE To assess clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes of a community-based medication therapy management (MTM) program for 207 adult patients with asthma over 5 years. DESIGN Quasi-experimental, longitudinal pre-post study. SETTING 12 pharmacy locations in Asheville, N.C. PATIENTS/OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Patients with asthma covered by two self-insured health plans; professional educa...

BACKGROUND:: In response to the evolving nature of potential disasters, both human made and natural, this research identifies predictors of individual emergency preparedness and compliance with government requests. METHODS:: A survey of a nationally representative sample of US adults (1629 respondents) revealed which emergency supplies and plans they had in place; their perceived level of prepa...

A rarity as few as 25 years ago, physician networks are now the norm in health insurance coverage and health benefit service plans. In 2006, only 7 percent of all employers offered a “conventional” plan, that is, a plan whose terms of coverage are not tied to a provider network; at 54 percent, preferred provider organizations (PPOs) represented the most common type of plan offering that year. S...

Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) can range from morning sickness to moderate NVP to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). If it is left unmanaged, health plans may pay for expensive unproven outpatient therapies that are not necessary for treatment of simple morning sickness or moderate NVP. Meanwhile, patients with serious hyperemesis gravidarum whose treatment is delayed may suffer needlessly, e...

BACKGROUND Late arrival in hospital by women experiencing pregnancy complications is an important background factor leading to maternal mortality in Nigeria. The use of effective and timely emergency obstetric care determines whether women survive or die, or become near-miss cases. Healthcare managers have the responsibility to deploy resources for implementing emergency obstetric care. OBJEC...

BACKGROUND There has been widespread promotion of advance care planning in recent years, which is consistent with an ageing population and a greater awareness of patient self determination. METHODS A review of medical records relating to hospital patient deaths and a separate review of emergency department admissions of patients aged 75 years or more in the same hospital. RESULTS In the pat...