Evolving need for alternative triage management in public health emergencies: A hurricane Katrina case study

Kelly R. Klein, Paul E. Pepe, Frederick M. Burkle, Nanci E. Nagel, Raymond E. Swienton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

In many countries, traditional medical planning for disasters developed largely in response to battlefield and multiple casualty incidents, generally involving corporal injuries. The mass evacuation of a metropolitan population in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina evolved into life-and-death triage scenarios involving thousands of patients with nontraumatic illnesses and special medical needs. Although unprecedented in the United States, triage management needs for this disaster were similar to other large-scale public health emergencies, both natural and humangenerated, that occurred globally in the past half-century. The need for alternative triage-management processes similar to the methodologies of other global mass public health emergencies is illustrated through the experience of disaster medical assistance teams in the first 3 days following Katrina's landfall. The immediate establishment of disaster-specific, consensus-based, public health emergency-related triage protocols-developed with ethical and legal expertise and a renewed focus on multidimensional, multifactorial matrix decision-making processes-is strongly recommended. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2008;2(Suppl 1):S40-S44).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)S40-S44
JournalDisaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Volume2
Issue numberSUPPL.1
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2008

Keywords

  • Homeland security
  • Mass casualties
  • Public health emergencies
  • Surge capacity
  • Triage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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