Management of Disaster Medical Support
Written by Anam Hussain
Definition:
DMS management is defined as a complex decision-making process which is performed by medical managers in order to react adequately with the available means and capabilities, in case of a disaster. The prerequisite for efficient and adequate reaction are:
- Awareness of available medical resources
- Awareness of URS elements in the region
- Assured communication with medical installations in region and with URS commanding structures
- Awareness of the contingency plan
- Cognition about the disaster management process
Decision making process includes the following activities:
- Evaluation of situation, evaluation of required and available assets
- Risk assessment
- Risk management
- Decision on what has to be performed, by who, when and where and how medical operations and activities have to be executed
- Execution
- Evaluation of situation (continuous monitoring on the results of performed activities is required)
- Decision revision
- Means and capabilities maneuver
Principles:
- Preplanned
- Operability
- Flexibility
- Continuity
- Centralization
- Autonomy
The SOP for the decision-making process includes the following activities:
- Adequate reaction after signal for disaster receiving
- CONOPS activation
- Medical intelligence
- OPLAN creation
- Decision
- Orders
DMS management overall consists of:
- Signal validation
- Assessment of medical and general situations
- Type number, structure and location of casualties
- Available and required medical means and capabilities
- Hygiene and sanitary conditions assessment
- Required activities, protection, order to teams, feedback giving, reassessment, maneuver