Temporary treatment facilities
Roy L. Alson
Search for more papers by this authorChristine S. Hall
Search for more papers by this authorRoy L. Alson
Search for more papers by this authorChristine S. Hall
Search for more papers by this authorDavid C. Cone MD
Professor of Emergency Medicine
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
Search for more papers by this authorJane H. Brice MD, MPH
Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Search for more papers by this authorTheodore R. Delbridge MD, MPH
Executive Director
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, Baltimore, Maryland
Search for more papers by this authorJ. Brent Myers MD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer ESO Associate Medical Director
Wake County EMS, Raleigh, North Carolina
Search for more papers by this authorSummary
Temporary treatment facilities have been a component of emergency care for many years, beginning with military field hospitals. Facilities vary in size and capability based on the mission they perform, ranging from basic first aid to advanced life support and critical care. Temporary facilities can be used to augment care during planned events in order to decrease demand on EMS systems and local hospitals. They are a key component of hospital system surge strategies when systems are overwhelmed. They also allow the deployment of medical assets to disaster zones to deal with increased demand and replace damaged medical infrastructure. Due to the potential complexity of such operations, coordination between EMS and medical facilities, often in multiple jurisdictions, is a key component to the success of these facilities in addition to designation of sites or structures and development and testing of operational plans.
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