Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) exert stress on health care institutions with surges in patient volumes and complexities of new and often unpredictable pathophysiologic states. The fundamental goal in managing MCIs is preservation of life. The incident command structure (ICS) is designed to reduce weaknesses in MCI management because of poor communication, lack of common terminology, disorderly processes, unclear chain of command, and poor accountability. As such, the ICS offers a management template and organizational chart, standard functional responsibilities, and applicability to all hazards. The ICS does not mandate strategies or incident objectives but declares the starting point for all decision-making to be preservation of life, preservation of property, and incident stabilization. Hospital incident command systems (HICS) are designed to help hospitals be flexible, scalable, and adaptable to effectively manage MCIs. Teams within the HICS are designed to allow optimal information flow throughout the teams. When staff, space, and supplies run...
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Safety Tip of the Month|
April 2022
Education Gaps in Mass Casualty Preparedness: A Disaster Waiting to Happen
ASA Monitor April 2022, Vol. 86, 31.
Citation
Education Gaps in Mass Casualty Preparedness: A Disaster Waiting to Happen. ASA Monitor 2022; 86:31 doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASM.0000826988.61073.e7
Download citation file:
Sign in
ASA members enjoy complimentary access to ASA publications, as well as a variety of educational resources. Join today!
Pay-Per-View Access
$20.00
Advertisement
Email alerts
Related Articles
SALT Triage for Mass Casualties
ASA Monitor (September 2018)
A Gray Future: The Role of the Anesthesiologist in Hybrid Warfare
Anesthesiology (November 2023)
Lessons Learned From a Mass Casualty Incident
ASA Monitor (September 2018)
Our Role in Mass Casualty Incidents, and an Apology
ASA Monitor (September 2018)
Roles of the Anesthesiologist During Mass Casualty Events
ASA Monitor (April 2017)
Advertisement