The Essentials: Planning Guide for Mass Medical Care when Demand is Greater than Resources

HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) today released a condensed version of a 2007 mass medical care planning guide that contains updated resources and new information specific to H1N1. Mass Medical Care With Scarce Resources: The Essentials is a resource for community planners to prepare for public health emergencies, such as pandemic flu, when demand for medical resources outweighs supply. The 70-page guide sets out a framework of basic steps that planners may take to prepare for a mass casualty event. It addresses key questions that each community should ask to properly plan for a well coordinated operational response. The Essentials guide addresses ethical and legal issues and provides tips on preparing for the provision of services to address: pre-hospital, acute hospital care, alternative care sites, and palliative care during disaster conditions. To illustrate how to apply these basic principles, the Essentials guide also includes a special section on influenza pandemic preparedness. This new resource is an abbreviated version of AHRQ’s Mass Medical Care With Scarce Resources: a Community Planning Guide.

Mass Medical Care With Scarce Resources: The Essentials http://www.ahrq.gov/prep/mmcessentials/ was prepared by Sally J. Phillips, R.N., Ph.D., and Kelly J. Johnson, MPH, of AHRQ and Ann Knebel, R.N., DNSc, of the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. It is available online or can be ordered from the AHRQ Clearinghouse by calling 1-800-358-9295 or e-mailing AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov. Ask for AHRQ Pub. No. 09-0016. For more AHRQ resources on public health emergency preparedness, please visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/prep/.