ED management : the monthly update on emergency department management
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A study has shown that EDs are unprepared to handle mass casualties of bioterrorism, and plans must be revamped. Alternate care and triage areas must be selected in advance and may include parking lots and hallways between buildings. Care for contaminated patients in areas that can be abandoned, so regular patient care areas are not disrupted. Have a system in place to decontaminate patients before they enter the ED.