@article{c83c8b6d542c421c9edeb016799b65df,
title = "Development of prehospital, population-based triage-management protocols for pandemics",
abstract = "The lack of disease-specific triage-management protocols that address the unique aspects of a pandemic places emergency medical services, and specifically, emergency medical services practitioners, at great risk.Without adequate protocols, the emergency health system will risk needless exposure, loss of functional capacity, and inappropriately triaged patients.This paper reports on the development of population-based triage-management protocols at two patient points of contact. The primary objective of the triage-management protocols is to identify patients infected by or exposed to the biological agent, and consequently, appropriately triage patients so as to optimize the utilization of emergency medical services and surge capacity resources through disposition and care at hospital-and non-hospital-based care facilities. Protocols must include standardized {"}flu questions{"}and a Fear and Resiliency Checklist to ensure protection and separation of the susceptible population from those infected or exposed.",
keywords = "disaster management, disasters, emergency medical services, emergency operations centers, incident command system, pandemics, paramedics, prehospital, triage",
author = "Ingrid Bielajs and Burkle, {Frederick M.} and Archer, {Frank L.} and Erin Smith",
note = "Funding Information: References 1. Verbeek PR, McClelland IW, Silverman AC, et at. Loss of paramedic avail-ability in an urban emergency medical services system during a severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak. AcadEmerg Med 2Q04;ll(9):973-978. 2. Silverman AC, Simor A: Toronto emergency medical services and SARS. Letter to the Editor. Emerging Infectious Diseases 2004;10(9):1688-1689. 3. KoPCI,ChenWJ,MaMH,etal:Emergencymedicalservicesutilizationdur-ing an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the inci-dence of SARS-associated coronovirus among emergency medical technicians. Acad Emerg Med 2MA\\\(9):9Ql-9\\. 4. Burkle FM: Mass casualty management of a large-scale bioterrorist event: An epidemiological approach that shapes triage decisions. Emerg Med Clin North Am 2002;20:409-430. 5. Tippett V, Archer F, Kelly H, et at. The Australian Prehospital pandemic risk perception study and an examination of new public health roles for Services in pandemic response. Australian Centre for Prehospital Research, Queensland Ambulance Service, Brisbane, 2007. Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Grant No. 409973). 6. Bombardt JN, Grotte JH, Schultz DP: CB Threats to the Corps. Alexandria, VA: Institute for Defense Analysis paper P-3481. November 1999: 1-53.",
year = "2008",
doi = "10.1017/S1049023X00006154",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "23",
pages = "420--430",
journal = "Prehospital and disaster medicine",
issn = "1049-023X",
publisher = "World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine",
number = "5",
}