Planning and Triage in the Disaster Scenario

3.3. Clinic and Hospital Emergency Planning Key Concepts

The emergency plan should fulfill four essential characteristics: it should be clear, concise, complete and widely disseminated.

• Clear: Make the wording simple and easy to understand, with no margin for doubt.
• Concise: It should be quick to read. The longer the plan, the less likely it will be read in its entirety and the more difficult it will be to update regularly and distribute.
• Complete: include all the necessary components for effective action, coordination, and reassessment.
• Disseminate: the plan should be widely disseminated to key stakeholders. It should also be summarized in a way that is visually attractive when displayed in office space and hospitals.

The plan describes the responsibilities of each participant, the risks involved, and the range of interventions. It is imperative to involve the organizations that will carry out the plan in the planning process itself. For a health-care agency, the emergency plan defines the objectives, the actions, and the organization of the hospital and its various departments with respect to the response activities and responsibilities of its staff members.

Additionally, the plan needs to be known by all entities involved. These elements are essential if the plan is to be executed in the pre-established manner.