Disaster
Medical System
Assessment
of Need and Response Capacity
Function 2: Assessment of Immediate Medical Needs
Element 2.2: Gathering, evaluating, reporting and disseminating assessment information
Guideline 2.2.1: Information Sources
Guideline 2.2.2: Information Elements
Guideline 2.2.3: Information Reporting
Function 3: Coordination of Disaster Medical and
Health Resources
Element 3.1: Resource planning and preparedness
Guideline 3.1.1: Resource Inventories
Function 5: Coordination
with Hospital Inpatient and Emergency Care Providers
Element 5.1: Hospital status/damage assessment
Guideline 5.1.1: System for Communication of
Hospital Status Information
Guideline 5.1.2: Hospital Status Information—Minimum
Data Elements
Guideline 5.1.3: Sharing Hospital Status Information
Function 6:
Coordination with Out-of-Hospital Medical Care Providers
ASSESSMENT OF NEED AND RESPONSE CAPACITY
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide direction
guiding assessment of response needs and capacity.
II. AUTHORITY
Health and Safety Code, Division 2.5, Sections
1797.150-152
III. DEFINITIONS
A.
Answering Point means the agency
designated to receive requests for medical and health resources or assistancethe Medical/Health
OAC.Answering Point means the dispatch
agency or facility designated to receive requests for medical and health
resources or assistance and/or communications intended for the Medical/Health
OAC, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
B.
Central Point means the facility or agency designated in the Medical/Health Disaster
Plan to respond to requests for patient dispersal during multiple casualty
incidents or disasters.
C.
Medical/Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC, M/H OAC, or Medical/Health
OAC) means the individual
responsible for the coordination of medical and health resources and activities
within the operational area.
D.
Regional Response Information Management System (RIMS) means the Office of Emergency Services’ standardized
information management system, which provides for disaster status and response information and
resource coordination.a summary of regional status and response information.
E.
Non-ambulance receiving hospital
facilities and services refers to organized and structured institutions, facilities,
groups, or organizations providing medical or health-related care within the
community. It includes skilled nursing
facilities, board and care facilities, home health agencies, hospice services,
public health and community clinics.
F.
Hospital Emergency Incident Command System (HEICS) means the version of the Incident Command System
specifically customized for use by hospitals.
IV. POLICY
A.
Usual baseline
resources should be inventoried, including contact information, and maintained
with a mechanism established that provides for routine updating of status no
less often than yearly.
B.
Resources likely to
require rapid situation-specific assessment should be identified in a manner
that allows the Answering Point, the Central Point (determines patient
destinations), or the Medical/HealthM/H OAC to gather
the anticipated information quickly and efficiently.
C.
Tools should be
designed to elicit information that is consistent with the Disaster Medical Services Guidelines and Standards document, Guideline
5.1.2. and meets the following criteria:
1.
Terminology and data
elements used by the RIMS Medical/Health Status report (refer to state or local
OES for current versions);
2.
Information,
capabilities that may be prescribed by the Medical/Health region; and
3.
Additional information
that will assist with local decision-making.
D.
Communication links
should be established that allow rapid dissemination of information from the
Medical/Health OAC, local OES office or LEMSA to fire, law, transport
providers, hospitals, and appropriate local officials.
1.
The goal of the link
is to facilitate communication of alerts, warnings, watches, and other system
information or to request resource information.
2. At least three routine methods of contact should be established, including the use of short-wave radio.
E.
Developed contact
information, assessment forms and communication links should be
1.
Tested and exercised
on a regular basis and
2.
Included in disaster
training at all levels and agencies.
F.
Non-ambulance receiving hospital
facilities should be included in disaster preparedness and response in the
following ways:
1.
Identified
in resource inventory updated at least annually
a.
Facility
location, capacity, type of client
b.
24
hour contact
c.
Facility
resource, liability list if appropriate
2.
Participate
in preparedness training as appropriate.
3.
Provided
resource materials or advice related to facility disaster planning, use of
HEICS, and response to disaster, including access to the Operational Area
Management structure (M/H Branch in the EOC or M/H DOC), reporting facility
status, requesting assistance.
4.
Participate in
periodic exercise of contact and status assessment procedures.
V. CONSIDERATIONS
A.
Information gathering
tools should be designed to elicit the most likely categories of information
clearly, without requesting unneeded information.
B.
Categories of
information should be clear and limited.
For example, a central point attempting to determine ED capability
should not have to pick through ambulance availability or facility damage
questions.
C.
Systems should be
designed, where possible, to be utilized to meet routine and disaster
communication needs.