Making Disaster Care Count: Consensus Formulation of Measures of Effectiveness for Natural Disaster Acute Phase Medical Response

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 461-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajesh K. Daftary ◽  
Andrea T. Cruz ◽  
Erik J. Reaves ◽  
Frederick M. Burkle ◽  
Michael D. Christian ◽  
...  

AbstractIntroductionNo standard exists for provision of care following catastrophic natural disasters. Host nations, funders, and overseeing agencies need a method to identify the most effective interventions when allocating finite resources. Measures of effectiveness are real-time indicators that can be used to link early action with downstream impact.HypothesisGroup consensus methods can be used to develop measures of effectiveness detailing the major functions of post natural disaster acute phase medical response.MethodsA review of peer-reviewed disaster response publications (2001-2011) identified potential measures describing domestic and international medical response. A steering committee comprised of six persons with publications pertaining to disaster response, and those serving in leadership capacity for a disaster response organization, was assembled. The committee determined which measures identified in the literature review had the best potential to gauge effectiveness during post-disaster acute-phase medical response. Using a modified Delphi technique, a second, larger group (Expert Panel) evaluated these measures and novel measures suggested (or “free-texted”) by participants for importance, validity, usability, and feasibility. After three iterations, the highest rated measures were selected.ResultsThe literature review identified 397 measures. The steering committee approved 116 (29.2%) of these measures for advancement to the Delphi process. In Round 1, 25 (22%) measures attained >75% approval and, accompanied by 77 free-text measures, graduated to Round 2. There, 56 (50%) measures achieved >75% approval. In Round 3, 37 (66%) measures achieved median scores of 4 or higher (on a 5-point ordinal scale). These selected measures describe major aspects of disaster response, including: Evaluation, Treatment, Disposition, Public Health, and Team Logistics. Of participants from the Expert Panel, 24/39 (63%) completed all rounds. Thirty-three percent of these experts represented international agencies; 42% represented US government agencies.ConclusionExperts identified response measures that reflect major functions of an acute medical response. Measures of effectiveness facilitate real-time assessment of performance and can signal where practices should be improved to better aid community preparedness and response. These measures can promote unification of medical assistance, allow for comparison of responses, and bring accountability to post-disaster acute-phase medical care. This is the first consensus-developed reporting tool constructed using objective measures to describe the functions of acute phase disaster medical response. It should be evaluated by agencies providing medical response during the next major natural disaster.DaftaryRK, CruzAT, ReavesEJ, BurkleFMJr, ChristianMD, FagbuyiDB, GarrettAL, KapurGB, SirbaughPE. Making disaster care count: consensus formulation of measures of effectiveness for natural disaster acute phase medical response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(5):1-7.

2021 ◽  
Vol 331 ◽  
pp. 04009
Author(s):  
Mediana desfita ◽  
Djendrius

Indonesia is one of the very prone countries to disaster. The tsunami and earthquake disasters caused enormous damage to property and infrastructure as well as loss of life. An earthquake on September 30, 2009, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck the west coast of Sumatra, causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure. There were around 1,115 people killed, 1,214 seriously injured and 1,688 people lightly injured. A comprehensive study of natural disaster management activities or systems should be used as learning materials to form a disaster management system. Disaster preparedness by minimizing vulnerability has been identified as a better approach to dealing with disasters than post-disaster response. Creating a culture of prevention is critical to dealing with everyday hazards and the consequences of disasters. The study is using data from a natural disaster in west Sumatra, and data from people who were involved in the process of reconstruction post disasters in west Sumatra. This study aims to obtain an accurate description of the reconstruction post-disaster and relation with responsive gender activities in West Sumatra, and identify how the gender effect on reconstruction post-disaster in the West Sumatra region.


2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
R. Daftary ◽  
A. Cruz ◽  
E. Reaves ◽  
F. Burkle ◽  
M. Christian ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Yoshi Kodama

AbstractThis article attempts to reveal how and why international rescue and relief operations had difficulties, following the 2011 East Japan earthquake, in being smoothly received in a country like Japan with well-prepared domestic natural disaster response mechanisms as well as highly regulated economy and society. To this end, the article examines lessons and challenges from the operations by foreign rescue and relief assistance teams then tries to present possible solutions and prescriptions for adjustment and improvement of inter-state frameworks as well as domestic laws and regulations. Issues are generally analogous to trade and investment liberalisation as well as inter-state deregulatory endeavours, which may give some insights in addressing post-disaster regulatory and procedural impediments.


Author(s):  
Guilherme Finger ◽  
Tobias Ludwig do Nascimento ◽  
Julia Carolina Lusa Tessaro ◽  
Eduarda Tanus Stefani ◽  
Maria Eduarda Conte Gripa ◽  
...  

AbstractEven though traumatic dissection of cervical arterial vessels is the major cause of stroke among adults, it is still an underdiagnosed disease in neurosurgical emergencies, since most patients do not have or present subtle clinical signs in the acute phase. The authors report two interesting cases of cervical artery dissection with different traumatic mechanisms and present a broad literature review about this subject.


2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 218-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendall Ho ◽  
Zena Sharman

The Universitas 21 (U21) organization funded a one-year project to examine global e-health. An e-health steering committee surveyed the opinions of e-health researchers at U21 member schools and conducted a literature review. Information about key themes was analysed and the findings were summarized. The steering committee recommended an eight-step strategy to establish a sustainable endeavour in global e-health. This included implementing a dissemination strategy within the U21 organization to engage a progressively larger community of faculty members and others, and translating e-health knowledge into global practice in those areas in which the U21 has special expertise. While the recommendations in the discussion paper are specific to the U21 organization, the e-health steering committee believes they can be generalized and applied to any globally minded educational or research institutions seeking to contribute to e-health.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Nagata ◽  
Yoshinari Kimura ◽  
Masami Ishii

AbstractThe Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011. In the first 10 days after the event, information about radiation risks from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was unavailable, and the disaster response, including deployment of disaster teams, was delayed. Beginning on March 17, 2011, the Japan Medical Association used a geographic information system (GIS) to visualize the risk of radiation exposure in Fukushima. This information facilitated the decision to deploy disaster medical response teams on March 18, 2011.Nagata T, Kimura Y, Ishii M. Use of a geographic information system (GIS) in the medical response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(2):1-3.


Author(s):  
Rajali Maharjan ◽  
Shinya Hanaoka

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the importance of the order of establishment of temporary logistics hubs (TLHs) when resources (mobile storage units used as TLHs) are limited and to present the development and implementation of a methodology that determines the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making. Design/methodology/approach It employed a decision support system that considers multiple decision makers and subjective attributes, while also addressing the impreciseness inherent in post-disaster decision making for ordering the establishment of TLHs. To do so, an optimization model was combined with a fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making approach. A numerical illustration was performed using data from the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Findings The results showed the location and order of establishment of TLHs, and demonstrated the impact of decision makers’ opinions on the overall ordering. Research limitations/implications The study does not discuss the uncertain nature of the location problem and the potential need for relocation of TLHs. Practical implications This methodology offers managerial insights for post-disaster decision making when resources are limited and their effective utilization is vital. The results highlight the importance of considering the opinions of multiple actors/decision makers to enable coordination and avoid complication between the growing numbers of humanitarian responders during disaster response. Originality/value This study introduces the concept of the order of establishment of TLHs and demonstrates its importance when resources are limited. It develops and implements a methodology determining the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making.


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