bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) Program: Fourteen Years of Progress
Authors: Beasley John W. , Dresang Lee T. , Winslow Diana B. , Damos James R. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractBackground:The Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) program is a highly structured, evidence-based, two-day course designed to provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to manage the emergency conditions that can occur during childbirth.Objectives:To document the number of ALSO®-trained clinicians and instructors in the United States and internationally and to promote ALSO® training among prehospital and disaster medicine professionals.Methods:Records maintained by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for each country where ALSO® is taught were reviewed for: (1) the years and locations of the ALSO® courses; (2) the number of ALSO®-trained caregivers; and (3) the number of ALSO® instructors.Results:Between 1991 and 2005, 54,071 ALSO®-trained caregivers and 2,251 instructors have completed provider and instructor ALSO® courses in 25 countries. Of these, 17,755 caregivers and 1,220 instructors are from outside the United States.Conclusion:The ALSO® program is a popular, multi-disciplinary course for preparing maternity caregivers to manage obstetric emergencies. Limited evidence suggests it can be effective and efficient in enhancing the knowledge and skills of prehospital and disaster medicine clinicians. Hong Kong provides a model in which emergency physicians have taken the lead in promoting the ALSO® course. As the ALSO® program expands, additional research is needed to assess its impact on educational and health outcomes.
The Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake and Tsunami of 2004: The Hazards, Events, and Damage
Authors: Kohl Patrice A. , O'Rourke Ann P. , Schmidman Dana L. , Dopkin Wendy A. , Birnbaum Marvin L. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake and subsequent Asian Tsunami of 26 December 2004 affected multiple countries in the Indian Ocean and beyond, creating disasters of a scale unprecedented in recorded history. Using the Conceptual Framework and terminology described in the Disaster Health Management: Guidelines for Evaluation and Research in the Utstein Style, the hazard, events, and damage associated with the Earthquake and Tsunami are described. Many gaps in the available information regarding this event are present. Standardized indicators and reporting criteria are necessary for research on future disasters and the development of best practice standards internationally.
Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia
Authors: Kapila Mukesh , McGarry Nichole , Emerson Elizabeth , Fink Sheri , Doran Rodger , Rejto Khadija , Profili Maria Cristina 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis is a summary of the proceedings of the Conference on the Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia that was convened by the sunami World Health Organization in Phuket, Thailand from 04–06 May 2005. It contains reviews of the experiences of the health sector and early recovery fol following the Earthquake and Tsunami with emphasis onwhat was done well and what could have been done better and the lessons learned that can be incorporated into actions that will mitigate the damage created by future events. It outlines the national and international responses and recovery and the actions taken and not taken by the international community in support of the countries affected. Specific issuesaddressed include: (1) needs assessments; (2) coordi- coordination; (3) filling gaps in essential services, and (4) capacity building at the country level. Each of these aspects is analyzed as to its: (1) appropriateness; (2) adequacy; (3) effectiveness; (4) efficiency; and (5) connectedness.Much of what occurred provided benefits to the stricen population, but there is substantial room for improvement through implementation of the lessons learned. These lessons must be converted into actions in order to mitigate the damagesustained and to enhance our responses to the damage from future
Session 1.2: National Health Perspectives of the Tsunami Crisis
Authors: Singh Poonam Khetrapal , Ofrin Roderico , Ravindran P. , Paturussi Idrus , Yasir Ibrahim , Aung Than , Kahandailyanage H.A.P. , Kunaratanapruk Suprachai 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Session 1.2 of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related national health perspectives as pertaining to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections: (1) key questions; (2) discussion; (3) what was done well?; (4) what could have been done better?; and (5) what can be done to prepare for the future?.
Session 1.3: Health Protection and Disease Prevention: A Critical Review of Experience
Authors: Merlin-Scholtes Joanna , Narain Jai , Chunsuttiwat Supamit , Hyde-Price Caroline , Dubois Philippe Francois , Sorensen Eigil 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Health Protection and Disease Prevention of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related health protection and disease prevention as pertaining to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections:(1) key questions; (2) national perspectives; (3) an international perspective; (4) laboratory aspects in disease surveillance; and (5) partnership.
Panel 2.2: Surveillance, Early Warning Alert, and Response: Communicable and Vector-Borne Diseases
Authors: Roure Collette , Khalakdina Asheena , Ungchusak Kumnuan , Yulizar Media , Ravindran P. , Watson John , Pinto Augusto 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Surveillance, Early Warning Alert and Response at the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO)in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to the surveillance, early warning alert, and response to communicable and vector-borne diseases as pertaining to the responses to the damage created bythe Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections: (1) key questions; (2) needs assessment; (3) coordination(4) gap filling; and (5) capacity building. The key questions section is presented in six sub-sections: (1) communicable diseases; (2) early warning; (3) laboratory capacity and referral networking; (4) coordination of disease surveillance, early warning, and response; (5) health infrastructure rebuilding; and (6) using existing national surveillance plans toenhance disease surveillance and early warning systems.
Panel 2.10: Reproductive, Mental, and Child Health
Authors: Sahu Supriya , Musani Altaf , Schaller Jane , Pairojkul Srivieng , Senanayake Manouri P. , Brenny Patrick , Rosati Michael J. , Dakkak Henia 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Panel 2.10, Reproductive, Mental, and Child Health of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to reproductive, mental, and child health as pertain to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami. It is presented in the following major sections: (1) background; (2) key issues; (3) discussion; and (4) recommendations. Key issues discussed included: (1) coordination/collaboration; (2) provision of services; and (3) raising awareness and advocacy.
Panel 2.14: Contribution of Non-Governmental Actors
Authors: Luna Jorge Mario , Malpani Rohit , Zawde Dawit , Canagarathnam Nallathamby , Arnold Saulina , Budstedt Grete , Muriuki David , Clarke John 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis is a summary of the presentations and discussion of Panel 2.14, Contribution of Non-Governmental Actors, of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included issues related to the role of media and communication as pertaining to the responses to the damage created by the Tsunami. It is presented in six sections: (1) Background; (2) Key questions; (3) Discussion; (4) What have we learned?; (5) Conclusions; and (6) Recommendations. The what have we learned section is presented in the categories of: (1) needs assessments; (2) coordination; (3) filling gaps; and (4) capacity building.
Integrated Decision-Making in Response to Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents: Development and Initial Evaluation of a Course for Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Pryor Erica , Heck Emily , Norman Linda , Weiner Betsy , Mathews Rick , Black James , Terndrup Thomas 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIntroduction:Standardized, validated training programs for teaching administrative decision-making to healthcare professionals responding to weapons of mass destruction (weapons of mass destruction) incidents have not been available. Therefore, a multidisciplinary team designed, developed, and offered a four-day, functional exercise, competency-based course at a national training center.Objective:This report provides a description of the development and initial evaluation of the course in changing participants' perceptions of their capabilities to respond to weapons of mass destruction events.Methods:Course participants were healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, emergency medical services administrators, hospital administrators, and public health officials. Each course included three modified tabletop and/or real-time functional exercises. A total of 441 participants attended one of the eight course offerings between March and August 2003. An intervention group only, pre-post design was used to evaluate change in perceived capabilities related to administrative decision-making for weapons of mass destruction incidents. Paired evaluation data were available on 339 participants (81.9%). Self-ratings for each of 21 capability statements were compared before and after the course. A 19-item total scale score for each participant was calculated from the pre-course and post-course evaluations. Pairedt-tests on pre- and postcourse total scores were conducted separately for each course.Results:There was consistent improvement in self-rated capabilities after course completion for all 21 capability statements. Pairedt-tests of pre- and postcourse total scale scores indicated a significant increase in mean ratings for each course (allp&lt;0.001).Conclusion:The tabletop/real-time-exercise format was effective in increasing healthcare administrators' self-rated capabilities related to weapons of mass destruction disaster management and response. Integrating the competencies into training interventions designed for a specific target audience and deploying them into an interactive learning environment allowed the competency-based training objectives to be accomplished.
On-Site Physicians at a Major Sporting Event in Nigeria
Authors: Olapade-Olaopa E. Oluwabunmi , Alonge Temitope O. , Amanor-Boadu Simbo D. , Sanusi Arinola A. , Alese Olatunji B. , Omisanjo Olufunmilade O. , Adeyinka Abiodun O. , Sanya Arinola O. , Ogunbunmi Paul A. , Adewole Isaac F. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIntroduction:Although the need for on-site physicians at mass gatherings has been investigated in developed countries, it has not been studied in a developing country, where resources are limited, paramedical services are unavailable, and transportation and other facilities are inadequate.Hypothesis:The presence of on-site physicians would result in the effective management and prehospital care of casualties at mass gatherings or major sporting events in a developing country.Methods:A retrospective review of the planning procedures and medical records of the 19th Nigerian University games was conducted. Data from demographic profiles of visitors presenting to the on-site, secondary, and tertiary medical centers and the treatments used were extracted from log-books and processed and interpreted.Results:The Games hosted 6,000 accredited athletes and officials, and an estimated 80,000 spectators. Medical coverage was provided by 54 doctors and other healthcare staff at on-site, secondary, and tertiary medical centers. No trained paramedics were available. A total of 494 visits were made to the medical centers (medical usage rate of 2.1/1,000, patient presentation rate of 0.08). Forty-six percent of the visitors were evaluated by a physician on-site. Ninety percent of the visits were managed on-site, while 5% and 3% were referred to secondary and tertiary medical centers, respectively.Conclusion:The presence of on-site physicians at a major sporting event resulted in the majority of injuries and complaints being effectively treated on-scene. This reduced the number of hospital referrals and saved time and money for treatment.
Burns Assessment Team as Part of Burn Disaster Response
Authors: Greenwood John E. , Pearce Andrew P. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractWith a huge, climactically hostile catchment area, limited retrieval options and finite resources at the only adult burns unit in South Australia, this paper discusses the case for the establishment and maintenance of a Burns Assessment Team in South Australia. The composition and role of the team and its relationship with other retrieval services, the primary care unit, and the proposed National Burn Coordinator also are discussed.
Realities of Rural Emergency Medical Services Disaster Preparedness
Authors: Furbee Paul M. , Coben Jeffery H. , Smyth Sharon K. , Manley William G. , Summers Daniel E. , Sanddal Nels D. , Sanddal Teri L. , Helmkamp James C. , Kimble Rodney L. , Althouse Ronald C. , Kocsis Aaron T. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIntroduction:Disaster preparedness is an area of major concern for the medical community that has been reinforced by recent world events. The emergency healthcare system must respond to all types of disasters, whether the incidents occur in urban or rural settings. Although the barriers and challenges are different in the rural setting, common areas of preparedness must be explored.Problem:This study sought to answer several questions, including: (1) What are rural emergency medical services (EMS) organizations training for, compared to what they actually have seen during the last two years?; (2) What scale and types of events do they believe they are prepared to cope with?; and (3) What do they feel are priority areas for training and preparedness?Methods:Data were gathered through a multi-region survey of 1,801 EMS organizations in the US to describe EMS response experiences during specific incidents as well as the frequency with which these events occur. Respondents were asked a number of questions about local priorities.Results:A total of 768 completed surveys were returned (43%). Over the past few years, training for commonly occurring types of crises and emergencies has declined in favor of terrorism preparedness. Many rural EMS organizations reported that events with 10 or fewer victims would overload them. Low priority was placed on interacting with other non-EMS disaster response agencies, and high priority was placed on basic staff training and retention.Conclusion:Maintaining viable, rural, emergency response capabilities and developing a community-wide response to natural or man-made events is crucial to mitigate long-term effects of disasters on a local healthcare system. The assessment of preparedness activities accomplished in this study will help to identify common themes to better prioritize preparedness activities and maximize the response capabilities of an EMS organization.
Sensitivity and Specificity of the Medical Priority Dispatch System in Detecting Cardiac Arrest Emergency Calls in Melbourne
Authors: Flynn Julie , Archer Frank , Morgans Amee 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIntroduction:In Australia, cardiac arrest kills 142 out of every 100,000 people each year; with only 3–4% of out-of-hospital patients with cardiac arrest in Melbourne surviving to hospital discharge. Prompt initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, and advanced cardiac care greatly improves the chances of survival from cardiac arrest. A critical step in survival is identifying by the emergency ambulance dispatcher potential of the probability that the person is in cardiac arrest. The Melbourne Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) uses the computerized call-taking system, Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), to triage incoming, emergency, requests for ambulance responses. The MPDS is used in many emergency medical systems around the world, however, there is little published evidence of the system's efficacy.Objective:This study attempts to undertake a sensitivity/specificity analysis to determine the ability of MPDS to detect cardiac arrest.Methods:Emergency ambulance dispatch records of all cases identified as suspected cardiac arrest by MPDS were matched with ambulance, patient-care records and records from the Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry to determine the number of correctly identified cardiac arrests. Additionally, cases that had cardiac arrests, but were not identified correctly at the point of call-taking, were examined. All data were collected retrospectively for a three-month period (01 January through 31 March 2003).Results:The sensitivity of MPDS in detecting cardiac arrest was 76.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 73.6%–79.8%) and specificity was 99.2% (95% CI: 99.1–99.3%). These results indicate that cardiac arrests are correctly identified in 76.7% of cases.Conclusion:Although the system correctly identified 76.7% of cardiac arrest cases, the number of false negatives suggests that there is room for improvement in recognition by MPDS to maximize chances for survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This study provides an objective and comprehensive measurement of the accuracy of MPDS cardiac-arrest detection in Melbourne, as well as providing a baseline for comparison with subsequent changes to the MPDS.
Accuracy of a Priority Medical Dispatch System in Dispatching Cardiac Emergencies in a Suburban Community
Authors: Reilly Michael J. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIntroduction:Over-triage of patients by emergency medical services (EMS) dispatch is thought to be an acceptable alternative to under-triage, which may delay how quickly life-saving care reaches a patient. Previous studies have looked at advanced life support (ALS) misutilization in urban- and county-based EMS systems and have attempted to analyze how dispatch methods either contribute to or alleviate this problem.1–5Objective:The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between dispatches of a cardiac nature in a Medical Priority Dispatch (MPD) system, and the actual clinical diagnosis as determined by an emergency department physician.Methods:Calls for emergency medical assistance in a suburban community outside of a major metropolitan area were surveyed over a three-month period. Medical Priority Dispatch protocols determined that 104 of these calls were cardiac-related. Of these emergency calls, 56 (53.8%) patients were transported to the local community hospital and treated by the emergency physician. A retrospective review of the medical records was conducted to determine whether the patient had a cardiac-related discharge diagnosis from the emergency department.Results:Sixteen (28.6%) of the patients in this cohort were diagnosed with a cardiac-related condition upon discharge from the emergency department. Forty (71.4%) were diagnosed with a non-cardiac-related condition. The positive, predictive value of the dispatch protocol for the detection of an actual cardiac emergency in this EMS system was 28.6%.Conclusion:In this suburban community, the MPD system may over-triage emergency medical responses to cardiac emergencies. This can result in the only ALS (paramedic) unit in the community being unavailable in certain situations. Future studies should be conducted to determine what level (in any) of over-triage is appropriate in EMS systems using a MPD system.
The Prehospital Emergency Care System in Mexico City: A System's Performance Evaluation
Authors: Peralta Luis Mauricio Pinet 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIntroduction:Mexico City has one of the highest mortality rates in Mexico, with non-intentional injuries as a leading cause of death among persons 1–44 years of age. Emergency medical services (EMS) in Mexico can achieve high levels of efficiency by offering high quality medical care at a low cost through adequate system design.Objective:The objective of this study was to determine whether the prehospital EMS system in Mexico City meets the criteria standards established by the American Ambulance Association Guide for Contracting Emergency Medical Services (AAA Guide) for highly efficient EMS systems.Methods:This retrospective, descriptive study, evaluated the structure of Mexico City's EMS system and analyzed EMS response times, clinical capacity, economic efficiency, and customer satisfaction. These results were compared with the AAA guide, according to the social, economic, and political context in Mexico. This paper describes the healthcare system structure in Mexico, followed by a description of the basic structure of EMS in Mexico City, and of each tenet described in the AAA guide. The paper includes data obtained from official documents and databases of government agencies, and operative and administrative data from public and private EMS providers.Results:The quality of the data for response times (RT) were insufficient and widely varied among providers, with a minimum RT of 6.79 minutes (min) and a maximum RT of 61 min. Providers did not define RT clearly, and measured it with averages, which can hide potentially poor performance practices. Training institutions are not required to follow a standardized curriculum. Certifications are the responsibility of the individual training centers and have no government regulation. There was no evidence of active medical control involvement in direct patient care, and providers did not report that quality assurance programs were in place. There also are limited career advancement opportunities for EMS personnel. Small economies of scale may not allow providers to be economically efficient, unit hours are difficult to calculate, and few economic data are available.There is no evidence of customer satisfaction data.Conclusions:Emergency medical services in Mexico City did not meet the AAA requirements for high-quality, prehospital, emergency care. Coordination among EMS providers is difficult to achieve, due, in part, to the lack of: (1) an authoritative structure; (2) sound system design; and (3) appropriate legislation. The government, EMS providers, stakeholders, and community members should work together to build a high quality EMS system at the lowest possible cost.
KAMEDO Report No. 82 Explosion at the Fireworks Warehouse in the Netherlands in 2000
Authors: Björnhagen Viveka , Messner Torbjörn , Brändström Helge 
Published: August 2016

AbstractA fire and subsequent explosions occurred in a fireworks warehouse on 13 May 2000. A total of 947 persons were injured and 21 persons died, including four firefighters and one reporter. Communication networks became overloaded and impaired notification chains. The hospital disaster plan was followed, but was proved inadequate. Public information was a high priority. A counselling center was established early and was planned to continue operation for five years. The command function did not perform to expectations. Hospital triage was impaired as many responsible left the triage area. Short-term psychosocial support evolved to long-term programs. Liability issues were examined.