Patent ID: 8505959
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: A61G,B62B

Abstract:
1. A method of responding to a disaster including medical casualties at a remote site comprising the steps of: transporting a plurality of compact, complementary, portable modules to the site, each said module comprising a medical emergency response facility (MERF); each MERF comprising a set of complementary components including removable, replaceable support frame substantially parallel load supporting rail Members having alternately removable repositionable wheeled strut assemblies and complementary removable repositionable stationary table support stanchions, said support frame rail members further having removable repositionable clamps supporting complementary equipment and patient supports, configuring or reconfiguring the components of each module to one of a plurality of specific functional configurations including reconfiguring a wheeled convertible cart/utility table to a stationary utility table, and a portable utility table having a bed for serving one patient being reconfigured to one of a number of other elements of a field installation system to enable a specific MERF mode of operation therewith, which configured or reconfigured modules in an aggregate interoperate to enable emergency responders an ability to optimally provide medical care to disaster survivors, whereby a module is refigured to form a different specific function when required; arranging said modules around said disaster area wherein said modules having specific configurations provide first medical responders with the ability to treat survivors; configuring some of said modules for performing triage of disaster survivors, caring for patients including pre-operative, surgical operative and post operative recovery categories with equipment carried and supported by said modules, and then transporting said patients away from said disaster area; reconfiguring each of said compact, complementary reconfigurable modules by sliding a plurality of releasable rail engaging clamps upon said pair of substantially parallel load supporting frame rail members, and selected to fix said first plurality of releasable rail engaging clamps to various positions along each selected rail of said pair of substantially parallel load supporting rails, and reconfiguring said compact, portable complementary reconfigurable modules to one of said specific MERF function or mode of operation; providing at least one air of strut assemblies and connecting each respective strut of said pair of strut assemblies at one end to a wheel and releasably connecting each respective strut of said pair of strut assemblies at its other end to one first pair of releasable rail engaging clamps of said plurality of releasable rail engaging clamps; attaching a carrier for at least one of a plurality of medical emergency response components to a second pair of releasable rail engaging clamps; said carrier for said plurality of medical emergency response components selected from the group consisting of a patient support stretcher or Stokes carrier; a height adjustment attachment for adjusting the respective height of the patient's head and/or foot; a support for an elevated medical medicine dispensing carrier; a support for a medical instrument tray; a support for a power source; a pivotal bin containing equipment and supplies; a support for a patient vital sign measuring device; a support for a medical imaging device; a communication device, a support for a light, a tent structure and/or a patient limb support; changing a module from a movable module to a stationary module by removing and replacing said pair of strut assemblies with said wheel with at one least pair of table support stanchions and placing said compact, portable complementary, reconfigurable module at said specified location, and adjusting each stanchion at one end for stable placement on terrain and releasably connecting each stanchion at its other end to said first pair of rail engaging clamps of said plurality of releasable rail engaging clamps; attaching one or more of said plurality of medical emergency response components by said second pair of rail engaging clamps, each of which components and their respective operation define the configurable nature of the module with respect to one said plurality of MERF specific modes of operation; configuring some of said modules for performing triage of disaster survivors, caring for patients including pre-operative, surgical operative and post operative recovery categories with equipment carried and supported by said modules, and then transporting said patients away from said disaster area.