Preparation of Medical Supply for Prehospital Emergencies and Disasters: An Internet-Based Simulation Drill

Background

Mass casualties caused by natural disasters and man-made events may overwhelm local emergency medical services and healthcare systems. Logistics is essential to a successful emergency medical response. Drills have been used in disaster preparedness to validate plans, policies, procedures, and agreements, and identify resource gaps. The application of the internet to facilitate the conduct of exercise was still limited. This study aimed to investigate the optimal preparation of medical supplies by medical emergency response teams (MERTs) during emergencies and disasters using an internet-based drill.

Methods

An internet-based drill based on real-life mass casualty incidents (MCIs) was developed and conducted in Taiwan from June 2017 to July 2018. The drill involved an MCI with 50 events delivered under two scenarios: (1) reduced transfer capacity and well-functioning local healthcare facilities (emergency module); (2) severely reduced transfer capacity and dysfunctional local healthcare facilities (disaster module). For each event, medical supplies commonly prepared by local MERTs in Taiwan were listed in structured questionnaires and participants selected the supplies they would use.

Results

Forty-three senior medical emergency responders participated in the survey (responding rate of 47.3%). Resuscitation-related supplies increased from emergency to disaster module (e.g., intubation from 9.1% to 13.9%; dopamine from 3.2% to 5.0%; all p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis of events with life-threatening injuries, the utilization of resuscitation-related supplies (e.g., intubation from 46.6% to 65.3%; p < 0.001) remained higher in the disaster than in the emergency module. Compared to emergency medical technicians, physicians and nurses are more likely to use intravenous/intramuscular analgesics.

Conclusions

The severity of scenarios and the professional background of emergency responders have a different utilization of medical supplies in the simulation drill. The internet-based drill may contribute to optimizing the preparedness of medical response to prehospital emergencies and disasters.

Comparison of Chest Compression Quality between Transfer Sheet and Stretcher Use for Transporting out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients in a High-Rise Building - A Randomized and Open-Label Cross-over Design

OBJECTIVES

Stretchers are commonly used for transporting cardiac arrest patients, but their use may be limited in confined spaces, like elevators. Use of transfer sheet as an alternative has not been explored. We aimed to compare manual chest compression quality between these two methods. Methods: In this prospective, open-label, randomized cross-over manikin study, the subjects included emergency medical technicians who were assigned to 12 three-person crews. Scenarios included transport of a cardiac arrest in a high-rise building and elevator using transfer sheet (TS) and stretchers adjusted to 45° (S45) and 90° (S90). Chest compression quality was measured using a recording manikin and that before (on-scene phase) and after (transport phase) the manikin moved via transfer sheet or stretcher were compared. Results: The final analysis included 72 simulation runs. Chest compression quality did not differ among the groups in the on-scene phase. In the transport phase, the transfer sheet group provided greater mean compression depth (54.4 ± 4.2 vs 39.6 ± 7.2 mm, p < 0.01 and 54.4 ± 4.2 vs 40.6 ± 8.3 mm, p < 0.01, respectively) than stretchers of S45 and S90, and higher percentage of deep-enough compression (TS: 51.0 [23.8-74.8]% vs S45: 19.5 [5.8-29.5]%, p < 0.01) than the S45 group. Transfer sheet use showed a trend of lower percentages of full recoil (TS: 40.0 [12.8-64.5]% vs S45: 70.5 [47.0-79.8]% vs S90: 52.5 [25.3-76.0]%, p = 0.09). Chest compression fraction, compressions with correct hand position, and mean compression rates did not differ between groups in the transport phase. The TS group showed shorter time intervals of simulation start-to-first-compression (TS: 13.9 [12.4-15.1] sec vs S90: 15.9 [13.3-16.4] sec, p = 0.04) and total run time (TS: 145.7 [135.1-151.4] sec vs S90: 160.0 [151.9-175.4] sec, p < 0.01) than the S90 group. Conclusion: In this simulation, using transfer sheet outperform using stretcher for transporting cardiac arrest patients from high-rise buildings. Rescuers need to be aware of full chest recoil.

Challenges of Burn Mass Casualty Incidents in the Prehospital Setting: Lessons From the Formosa Fun Coast Park Color Party

Objective: A burn mass casualty incident (BMCI) involving 499 patients occurred at a "color party" in Taiwan in June 27, 2015. We implemented a study to identify critical challenges regarding the prehospital emergency care in BMCIs. Methods: A 3-stage, mixed methods study was conducted in 2016. First, a statistical analysis of prehospital management using the data retrieved from the Emergency Medical Management System of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan was performed. This was followed by a face-to-face, open-ended interview with the emergency medical technicians and the staff of the emergency operations center who responded to the incident; and the transcription of the interview data into constructed themes. Results: Our study indicated that the signs of inhalation injury needed to be incorporated in the field triage protocol for BMCIs; the collaborative utilization of regional emergency medical services may improve the surge capacity in the field; and an "island-hopping" strategy for patient transportation may allow the healthcare systems to manage the surge of burn patients more efficiently. Conclusions: Current field triage protocols may be insufficient for burn patients and should be further investigated. The practices in field triage, transport capacity, and transfer strategy can be considered as a part of an efficient prehospital emergency response to BMCIs.

The effect of tropical cyclones (typhoons) on emergency department visits

BACKGROUND

Case reports have indicated that a tropical cyclone may increase Emergency Department (ED) visits significantly.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine emergency health care demands across a series of tropical cyclones, and to build a predictive model to analyze a cyclone's potential effect.

METHODS

This was an observational non-concurrent prospective study performed in Taiwan. Twenty hospitals were included. The number of daily ED visits in each hospital was our primary end point, and data were retrieved from the database provided by the National Health Insurance Research Database. Our study examined the period from 2000 to 2008. A total of 22 tropical cyclones (typhoons) that had passed over eastern Taiwan and covered the area under study were included. Multiple linear regression time-series models were employed to estimate the effects of "days since typhoon landfall" and various characteristics of the typhoons on the end point of daily ED visits to each hospital.

RESULTS

The final multiple linear regression time-series model showed that the number of daily ED visits increased in areas where a strong typhoon had landed directly, with the increase being evident during the first 2 days since landfall. Our model also indicated that the three most important variables to predict a change in the pattern of daily ED visits were intensity of typhoon, simultaneous heavy rain, and direct landfall.

CONCLUSIONS

During tropical cyclones, emergency services were under increased demand in selected time periods and areas. Health care authorities should collect information to build local models to optimize their resources allocation in preparation.

Unusual causes of hyperammonemia in the ED

Plasma ammonia measurement is a simple yet important screening in the ED for patients with unexplained stupor or delirium. Acute hyperammonemia is a medical emergency for which immediate steps must be taken to minimize permanent brain damage. Although the most common causes of hyperammonemia are severe abnormal liver function, the absence of liver disease in some cases has been observed. This brief report describes four hyperammonemia cases with normal liver function in the ED. On careful history and speculated examinations, ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OTC) deficiency, hematologic malignancy, and the side effects of valproic acid and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were considered. Therapy was first aimed at correcting the hyperammonemia. Once a specific diagnosis was reached, protein restriction, essential amino acid supplementation, efficient chemotherapy, and valproic acid and 5-FU level discontinuance were instituted. In this report, the clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and diagnostic workup for various hyperammonemia causes are discussed. Every EP should understand that the clinical symptoms for hyperammonemia and prognosis are related to early diagnosis.