Eur J Trauma Emerg S
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Oct 2008
Evaluation of the Response of the Swedish Healthcare System to the Tsunami Disaster in South East Asia.
When the tsunami in South East Asia hit the coast of Thailand on December 26, 2004, approximately 20,000 Swedish tourists were in the disaster zone. Of these, 548 died or were lost and more than 1500 were injured. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of the Swedish health care system to the disaster in terms of assessment and support in the disaster zone, evacuation back to Sweden and continued treatment in Sweden. ⋯ With increased international travelling, many countries today have large numbers of their citizens in other parts of the world. For Sweden, this has been estimated to be 400,000 at any one time, often in areas known to be risk zones for natural disasters and terrorism. This fact of modern-day life demands welldesigned plans to support both citizens in the area and the local health care in several ways: non-medical support by mediating contact between injured and local medical staff, psychological and practical support, support in evacuating own citizens from the area to release local health care and (under specific conditions) medical support. This planning has to include prepared assessment teams that can be rapidly deployed to the scene and a command structure permitting rapid and accurate decisions on a governmental level.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Oct 2008
Protocol for Reports from Major Accidents and Disasters in the International Journal of Disaster Medicine.
The aim of this protocol is to achieve a prospective, standardized methodology for reporting results and experiences from major accidents and disasters so that the data can be used for analysis, to compare results, to exchange experiences and for international collaboration in methodological development. Using this form, the authors of the reports retain full credit for the data and the publication of them. At the same time, the data will be available in the journal and on the Internet (www.europeantrauma.net), thus providing the abovementioned possibilities for scientific analysis and development.
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The aim of this paper is to review the art and science underpinning the application of effective triage. The paper also attempts to cut through the fog of confusion surrounding the topic and to point a way towards a generally-agreed unified approach. Triage needs to be understood in the context of the environment in which it is applied, and the paper deals with this in some detail.