Family medicine capability in medical disaster response

Abdulmajeed M. AlShowair, MD; Jean Bail, EdD, RN, MSN, CEN, EMT-P; Steven Parrillo, DO, FACOEP, FACEP

doi:10.5055/jem.2018.0389

Authors

Abdulmajeed M. AlShowair, MD
Jean Bail, EdD, RN, MSN, CEN, EMT-P
Steven Parrillo, DO, FACOEP, FACEP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2018.0389

Keywords:

family medicine, disaster response, Preparedness

Abstract

Every disaster often holds a potential for significant impacts on human health and life. Every new threat presents new challenges to health risk management. However, family medicine faces an uncertainty on the specific roles it can assume to support urgent efforts at disaster surge response. Its preparedness level remains unknown. This research project, designed to explore issues of family medicine competency in this changed disaster response environment, conducted a disaster preparedness and response workshop among 28 family medicine physicians, testing their learning rate using a pre-test-post-test data collection method. Pre-test results (38.11 percent, x = 10.67) indicate that family medicine practitioners as a group were not ready by competency to respond to a disaster event and may instead increase the life risks of disaster victims. Post-test results (x = 21.67, 77.39 percent) showed an average doubling of their learning levels, indicating the workshop effectiveness in improving their disaster preparedness and response competency.

Author Biographies

Abdulmajeed M. AlShowair, MD

Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Jean Bail, EdD, RN, MSN, CEN, EMT-P

Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Steven Parrillo, DO, FACOEP, FACEP

Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

References

Scott I, Gowans M, Wright B, et al.: Determinants of choosing a career in family medicine. CMAJ. 2011; 183(1): E1-E8. doi:10.1503/cmaj.091805.

Huntington M, Gavagan T: Disaster medicine training in family medicine: A review of the evidence. Fam Med. 2011; 43(1): 13.

Stankovic C, Mahajan P, Ye H, et al.: Bioterrorism: Evaluating the preparedness of pediatricians in Michigan. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2009; 25(2): 88-92. doi:10.1097/pec.0b013e318196ea81.

Bagatell S, Wiese J: The elite code grey team: A new model for residency preparedness and training in advance of a disaster. Am J Med Sci. 2008; 336(2): 174-178. doi:10.1097/maj.0b013e318180f60e.

Uddin S, Barnett D, Parker C, et al.: Emergency preparedness: Addressing a residency training gap. Acad Med. 2008; 83(3): 298-304. doi:10.1097/acm.0b013e3181637edc.

Shealy RM, Simpson WM, Lee FW, et al.: The gaping hole: Physicians are missing from the front line of disaster preparedness training. J S C Med Assoc. 2006; 102(1): 11-13.

Martin S, Bush A, Lynch J: A national survey of terrorism preparedness training among pediatric, #family |practice, and emergency medicine programs. Pediatrics. 2006; 118(3): e620-e626. doi:10.1542/peds.2005-1875.

Pesik N, Keim M, Sampson T: Do US emergency medicine residency programs provide adequate training for bioterrorism? Ann Emerg Med. 1999; 34(2): 173-176. doi:10.1016/s0196-0644(99)70226-x.

Avolio B, Hannah S: Developmental readiness: Accelerating leader development. Consult Psychol J Pract Res. 2008; 60(4): 331-347. doi:10.1037/1065-9293.60.4.331.

Powell W, Kusuma-Powell O: Overcoming resistance to new ideas. Phi Delta Kappan. 2015; 96(8): 66-69. doi:10.1177/0031721715583967.

Sarabdeen J: Learning styles and training methods. Commun IBIMA. 2013; 2013(2013): 1-9. doi:10.5171/2013.311167.

Gausche-Hill M, Ely M, Schmuhl P, et al.: A national assessment of pediatric readiness of emergency departments. JAMA Pediatr. 2015; 169(6): 527-534. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.138.

Weiers R: Introduction to Business Statistics. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western, 2011.

Bibliography

AAFP: Disaster Medicine: Recommended Curriculum Guidelines for Family Medicine Residents. (AAFP Reprint No. 290). Leawood, KS: American Academy of Family Physicians, 2014.

AAMC: Physician specialty data book. Washington, DC: Center for Workforce Studies/Association of American Medical Colleges, 2012. Available at www.aamc.org/data/workforce/reports/457712/2016-specialty-databook.html. Accessed November 25, 2016.

Ablah E, Tinius AM, Konda K: Pediatric emergency preparedness training: Are we on a path toward national dissemination? J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2009; 67(2): S152-S158.

Allen J, Gay B, Crebolder H, et al.: The European definitions of general practice/family medicine. European Society of General Practice/Family Medicine. 2011. Available at http://www.woncaeurope.org/sites/default/files/documents/Definition%203rd%20ed%202011%20with%20revised%20wonca%20tree.pdf. Accessed November 25, 2016.

American Medical Association: AMA Code of Medical Ethics: Opinion E 9.067—Physician Obligation in Disaster Preparedness and Response. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association, 2004.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Communicating to family physicians. Audience Insights, n.d.: 1-8.

Chaffee M: Willingness of health care personnel to work in a disaster: An integrative review of the literature. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2009; 3(1): 42-56.

Cicero MX, Blake E, Gallant N, et al.: Impact of an educational intervention on residents’ knowledge of pediatric disaster medicine. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2009; 25(7): 447-451.

CMA (Canadian Medical Association): Notes from the pathway evaluation program and the Canadian medical residency guide. 2018. Available at https://www.cma.ca/Assets/assets-library/document/en/advocacy/Family-e.pdf. Accessed November 25, 2016.

Hsu EB, Jenckes MW, Catlett CL, et al.: Effectiveness of hospital staff mass-casualty incident training methods: A systematic literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2004; 19(3): 191-199.

Kirkwood S: NIMS and ICS: From compliance to competence. EMS Mag. 2008; 37(2): 51.

Kumar A, Weibley E: Disaster management and physician preparedness. South Med J. 2013; 196(1): 17-20.

Mendenhall TJ, Berge JM: Family therapists in trauma-response teams: Bringing systems thinking into interdisciplinary fieldwork. J Fam Ther. 2010; 32(1): 43-57.

Nufer KE, Wilson-Ramirez G, Shah MB, et al.: Analysis of patients treated during four disaster medical assistance team deployments. J Emerg Med. 2006; 30(2): 183-187.

Powell T, Hanfling D, Gostin LO: Emergency preparedness and public health: The lessons of Hurricane Sandy. JAMA. 2012; 308(24): 2569-2570.

Rakel RE, Rakel D: Textbook of Family Medicine E-Book. Saunders: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2011.

Savoia E, Testa MA, Biddinger PD, et al.: Assessing public health capabilities during emergency preparedness tabletop exercises: Reliability and validity of a measurement tool. Public Health Rep. 2009; 124(1): 138-148.

SCC-FMRP: Recommended curriculum guidelines for family medicine residents: Disaster Medicine. 4th rev. Redding, CA: Shasta Community Center Family Medicine Residency Program, 2014.

Slepski LA: Emergency preparedness and professional competency among health care providers during hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Pilot study results. Disaster Manag Response. 2007; 5(4): 99-110.

Steele A, Clarke B: Problems of treatment process selection for relief agency water supplies in an emergency. J Water Health. 2008; 6(4): 483-489.

Subbarao I, Lyznicki JM, Hsu EB, et al.: A consensus-based educational framework and competency set for the discipline of disaster medicine and public health preparedness. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2008; 2(1): 57-68.

Taylor RB: Family medicine: Now and future practice. In Taylor RB, David AK, Fields SA, et al. (eds.): Family Medicine. New York, NY: Springer, 2003: 3-9.

United Kingdom Health Protection Agency: Disaster risk management for health: Overview. Global Platform, 2011: 1-6.

Williams J, Nocera M, Casteel C: The effectiveness of disaster training for health care workers: A systematic review. Ann Emerg Med. 2008; 52(3): 211-222.