Handling Influx and Evacuation

The ability to deal with the unexpected influx of patients is a key challenge in a disaster scenario. In order to be truly prepared, a healthcare organization must be ready to deal with the increased number of patients. In some cases, the military is also available to assist in dealing with the influx of patients. The military is highly trained and has a vast number of resources that most citizens are not aware of. They are equipped and have the skill-set and the mentality to respond efficiently to disasters.

Search some articles on civilian response to disaster situations and military disaster response process. Based on your research, answer the following questions:

• Would you request the military to assist you in dealing with the influx of patients at the hospital? Why or why not? If yes, how would you use the military, and if no, what would you and your staff do to deal with the influx of patients?
• How would you go about garnering the assistance of the military if the situation called for it?

Following Hurricane Katrina, a hospital needed to be evacuated because of the rising water. The evacuation was conducted in stages as the patients were moved to other safe hospitals in batches using a helicopter, an ambulance, and a boat. After four days, the evacuation was complete, thanks to a coordinated effort with other agencies such as the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. In regard to the given scenario, answer the following questions:

• What would have happened if the hospital had not been assisted by other agencies? Why?
• How would you have addressed the situation? What would you include in your disaster plan to handle such a situation? How?

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