Katrina-weary Waveland, Mississippi residents might not have understood the significance of the trailers assembled in front of the local K-Mart, but they found comfort in their presence.
For six weeks Carolinas MED-1, a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art mobile emergency department (MED), tended to the sick and injured of Hancock County in the wake of the devastating storm.
This was the first real test of a disaster response concept years in the making.
Visionary efforts
In 1997, Carolinas Medical Center’s Tom Blackwell, MD, FACEP, expressed concern about the ability of his community to respond to a terrorist attack or other disaster. Following 9/11 and with the support of state representatives, he submitted a winning proposal (through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) to fund development of a mobile emergency department that could quickly deploy to the “front-line” of any disaster. So was born Carolinas MED-1.
It was something that had never been done before, and it took the visionary efforts of Dr. Blackwell and a team of experts to get it built.
Putting it together
Outfitting Carolinas MED-1 with cutting-edge technology from Philips was the responsibility of Solutions Delivery Consultant and Installation Team Manager Mike Hosick. “I acted as consultant to help define what would make this a true hospital versus just a demonstration trailer,” says Hosick. “The equipment on board rivals any well-equipped trauma center.”
“How-to” expertise
According to Dr. Blackwell, “Mike [Hosick] was part of this from the beginning. I appreciated that Mike talked me out of a few things, steering us to more cost-effective or practical solutions, such as a new monitor and a wired network.”
“Our job is to supply customers with what they need to solve a particular problem,” notes Hosick. “Dr. Blackwell knew what he wanted and came to Philips based on our longstanding relationship.”
A convergence of technologies
A wide range of Philips Healthcare and electronics products were selected to provide expert on-site healthcare and enable the staff to stay in touch with current news events.
6 IntelliVue MP70 monitors with 12-lead EKG capabilities
2 Anesthetic Gas Analyzers
1 IntelliVue Information Center to cover all beds
6 HeartStart MRx monitor/defibrillators
4 flat panel TVs
4 high definition satellite receivers
1 public address system
Carolinas MED-1 treated more than 7,500 patients in the Gulf Coast area after Hurricane Katrina and another 575 during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Carolinas MED-1 is designed to handle emergency surgery, orthopedic stabilization, wound repair, burn treatment and a variety of other medical emergencies. Vital monitoring data and radiographic images can be transmitted via satellite to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for review and analysis.
Carolinas MED-1 put to the test
But would it work as proposed?
Dr. Blackwell and his associates got their chance to try it out when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005. On-site for six weeks, from September 2 to October 14, a group of trauma specialists comprised of Carolinas Medical Center staff and state medical assistance team members from throughout North Carolina treated more than 7,500 patients. Ailments ranged from dehydration to badly infected wounds and serious trauma.
The tent expands capability, adding 100 exterior beds.
“A huge number of lives were touched, and many lives were saved, by the volunteers who provided care on MED-1,” said Blackwell. “It was a team effort from top to bottom, and I’m grateful that we were in a position to make a difference for the people of Waveland and Bay St. Louis.”
The team was called upon again in February to support struggling hospitals in New Orleans during Mardi Gras celebrations. During this two-week deployment, 575 people were treated. For Dr. Blackwell, it was further reassurance that his vision of “front-line” trauma care had become a battle-tested success.
[Published: 2006-04-11]