States hone health crisis plans to activate in catastrophes

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The scenarios are grim: A pandemic influenza swamps the availability of hospital ventilators. A chemical spill exhausts antidote supplies and decontamination abilities. A terror attack overwhelms ambulances and trauma centers. A big earthquake, wildfire or hurricane throws emergency rooms into crisis.

At the prodding of the federal government, state health departments nationwide are hurrying to complete “Crisis Standards of Care” plans to guide medical professionals in such catastrophes and determine what should trigger them. It’s no easy task: Plan architects must navigate the ethical and legal minefields that would arise if there are more patients than providers at hospitals, clinics and other medical settings are set up to handle in usual fashion.

“When they are facing these decisions the last thing you want to do is make it up as you go along,” said Dr. John Hick, an emergency physician at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis and a national expert in disaster planning. “Don’t leave this on the shoulders of the caregiver at the bedside.”

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