BACKGROUND Timely decisions concerning mobilization and allocation of resources and distribution of casualties are crucial in medical management of major incidents. The aim of this study was to evaluate documented initial regional medical responses to major incidents by applying a set of 11 measurable performance indicators for regional medical command and control and test the feasibility of th...

A quick and efficient prehospital emergency response depends on immediate ambulance dispatch, patient assessment, triage, and transport to hospital. During 1999, the Ambulance Command of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department responded to 484,923 calls, which corresponds to 1329 calls each day. Cooperation between the Fire Services Department and the Hospital Authority exists at the levels of p...

Taipei City government has begun to ask the emergency response hospitals to implement HEICS in their disaster response planning. We then evaluated the adequacies of these plans and make comparisons among the plans of different hospitals. Of the 53 plans, there were about 50 (94%) that had predictable chain of management, and the average score was 78 points. As to accountability of position func...

background: patient safety within healthcare systems is a central aspect of health policy in most developed countries. from april 2007 to may 2009, the pilot project expir-ro tested a voluntary incident reporting system in a public hospital in bucharest romania, in collaboration with two italian hospitals (in genoa and milan). methods: data were collected anonymously through a form based on the...

The frequency of national and international disaster events, increased media attention, and regulatory changes have all contributed to an improved public awareness of the vital role hospitals play in a crisis. Although hospital disaster preparedness efforts have matured dramatically since the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks, much work still remains to prepare all hospitals for potential p...

A mass casualty incident may result in tens or hundreds of victims. Triage, being the procedure classifying victims according to their medical emergency, and unique identification are equally crucial procedures for effectively managing crisis with respect personnel (emergency services non-medical civil protection practitioners) assets (ambulances, equipment, hospital beds, etc.). The solution d...

Any major incident will test the organisational and medical skills of those involved. The best response can only be achieved with good planning and preparation, and the adoption of a structured approach to the scene. A clear chain of command should exist within all emergency services and must be followed. The Ambulance and Medical Incident officers take overall responsibility for the health ser...