Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Jun;39(2):245-253.
doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2021.02.001. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Development of an Anesthesiology Disaster Response Plan

Mac Staben  1 , Jesse Raiten  2 , Meghan Lane-Fall  1 , Michael Scott  1
Affiliations
Review

Development of an Anesthesiology Disaster Response Plan

Mac Staben et al. Anesthesiol Clin. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Events during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic have demonstrated how disasters can disrupt the flow of health care delivery. Disaster events may become more common, and health care providers need proper training in how to manage patients affected by these events. Literature from anesthetic management from prior disasters, other specialties, and low-income and middle-income countries, offers guidance for how to respond to disasters. An effective disaster response requires a comprehensive plan that is rehearsed and well executed. Health care workers responding to a disaster may suffer physical and psychological consequences.

Keywords: Anesthesiology; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Disaster planning; Disasters; Earthquakes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Hospital incident command system.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Anesthesiologists are versatile members of a disaster response team and can participate in numerous clinical and leadership capacities. OR, operating room.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Humanitarian Health Action World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/hac/about/definitions/en/ Available at: Accessed November 9, 2020.
    1. Born C.T., Briggs S.M., Ciraulo D.L., et al. Disasters and Mass Casualties: I. General Principles of Response and Management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2007;15(7):388–396. - PubMed
    1. PanAmerican Health Organization. Earthquake in Haiti. https://www.paho.org/disasters/index.php?option=com_content&view=article... Available at: Accessed November 9, 2020.
    1. Murakawa M. Anesthesia department preparedness for a multiple-casualty incident: lessons learned from the Fukushima earthquake and the Japanese nuclear power disaster. Anesthesiol Clin. 2013;31(1):117–125. - PubMed
    1. Lu-Ping Z., Rodriguez-Llanes J.M., Qi W., et al. Multiple injuries after earthquakes: a retrospective analysis on 1,871 injured patients from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Crit Care. 2012;16(3):R87. - PMC - PubMed