Managing the hurricane Katrina disaster in the Midwest

Area of Science:

• Disaster Medicine
• Public Health
• Emergency Management

Background:

• Hurricane Katrina caused significant displacement, necessitating activation of disaster response systems.
• Healthcare facilities faced unprecedented challenges managing a large influx of evacuees.
• Effective disaster response requires robust planning and adaptable management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the incident timeline of the Hurricane Katrina disaster response in Indianapolis.
• To discuss unique challenges encountered during protracted incident command.
• To provide actionable suggestions for health systems managing future disasters.

Main Methods:

• Review of incident timeline and patient data.
• Analysis of patient encounters in emergency departments, pharmacies, and outpatient clinics.
• Qualitative discussion of challenges in incident command and system management.

Main Results:

• 80 disaster patients seen in the emergency department.
• 1,508 prescriptions filled for 300 patients.
• 125 patients treated at the outpatient disaster clinic.

Conclusions:

• The disaster response highlighted the need for adaptable healthcare systems during mass casualty events.
• Protracted incident command presented unique management challenges.
• Lessons learned can inform improved disaster preparedness and response strategies for healthcare organizations.