Boston bombing a lesson in prep for hospitals

April 19, 2013
Credentialing Resource Center Digest

The Boston Marathon bombing serves as yet another tragic reminder that American healthcare must be prepared to deal with terrorist attacks that result in the injuries typical of the wide-ranging damage caused by explosive devices.

Emergency disaster response has been on the agenda for most hospitals since the bombings in the World Trade Center parking garage in 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 and injured more than 680 in 1995, said Roslyne Schulman, director of policy at the American Hospital Association in Washington. And in a Post-September 11 world, more events will occur in the U.S., said David Marcozzi, MD, director of the Hospital Preparedness Program. "You can anticipate large numbers of victims in these attacks."
 
Boston was particularly prepared because of the marathon, explained Schulman. Medical staff was ready for a potential emergency and their coordinated efforts showed when victims were attended to quickly and properly.
 
American doctors will need to learn from military doctors how to handle bomb injuries at home. In addition to treating myriad wounds, healthcare systems will need to be as organized for bomb events as military systems in the battlefield. Coordination and integration among the hospital staff, as well as the greater community, is key, experts said.