A Pilot Registry of Trauma Surgeons Willing and Ready to Respond to Disasters

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDA well-defined means of organizing surgeons based on functional capabilities in disaster response has been lacking. We sought to create a pilot registry of surgeons, organized by functional capacities, available to respond to disasters in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons Operation Giving Back and to better understand their participation in disaster medicine training.METHODSThe authors conducted a survey of the members of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma aimed at establishing a pilot registry of qualified trauma surgeons available to respond to disasters. Data from the surveys were analyzed retrospectively for surgical and sub-specialty training, board certification, disaster response training, and military or civilian disaster experience to better understand the respondents functional capacities and disaster training backgrounds.RESULTSOf 211 respondents, 96% self-identified as trauma surgeons, while 87% and 89% reported active practice in acute care surgery and/or critical care. Nearly all had primary board certifications in general surgery (93%) and many had additional certifications in surgical critical care (65%). While many reported participation in ACS sponsored trauma courses, only 30% of those surveyed received disaster specific training in Federal Emergency Management Agency courses, and even less received training in the Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness course. Few had military (26%) or civilian (19%) experience in disaster response.CONCLUSIONThis initiative complements efforts to organize a registry of trauma surgeons who are qualified and willing to respond in all aspects of disaster response. While trauma surgeons are optimally positioned to provide a wide range of surgical expertise in a disaster, this study further demonstrated the lack of a universally accepted disaster training program for surgeons willing to respond to mass casualty incidents. Standardized disaster response training for surgeons remains a challenge for the future.Level of EvidenceIVStudy TypeRetrospective review of pilot registry survey. BACKGROUND A well-defined means of organizing surgeons based on functional capabilities in disaster response has been lacking. We sought to create a pilot registry of surgeons, organized by functional capacities, available to respond to disasters in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons Operation Giving Back and to better understand their participation in disaster medicine training. METHODS The authors conducted a survey of the members of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma aimed at establishing a pilot registry of qualified trauma surgeons available to respond to disasters. Data from the surveys were analyzed retrospectively for surgical and sub-specialty training, board certification, disaster response training, and military or civilian disaster experience to better understand the respondents functional capacities and disaster training backgrounds. RESULTS Of 211 respondents, 96% self-identified as trauma surgeons, while 87% and 89% reported active practice in acute care surgery and/or critical care. Nearly all had primary board certifications in general surgery (93%) and many had additional certifications in surgical critical care (65%). While many reported participation in ACS sponsored trauma courses, only 30% of those surveyed received disaster specific training in Federal Emergency Management Agency courses, and even less received training in the Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness course. Few had military (26%) or civilian (19%) experience in disaster response. CONCLUSION This initiative complements efforts to organize a registry of trauma surgeons who are qualified and willing to respond in all aspects of disaster response. While trauma surgeons are optimally positioned to provide a wide range of surgical expertise in a disaster, this study further demonstrated the lack of a universally accepted disaster training program for surgeons willing to respond to mass casualty incidents. Standardized disaster response training for surgeons remains a challenge for the future. Level of Evidence IV Study Type Retrospective review of pilot registry survey. Corresponding Author: Daniel Grabo, M.D., FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, West Virginia University, PO Box 9238 HSCS, Morgantown, WV 26506, (304) 293-1272 (Phone), Daniel.Grabo@hsc.wvu.edu Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: None Presented as a Poster at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Easter Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Hollywood, FL. January, 2017. © 2017 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

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