Electronic Medical Record System Use During Mass Casualty Incidents (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Emergency Departments (EDs) play a central role in defining the effectiveness and quality of the overall hospital’s Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) response. The use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in hospital settings has been rapidly growing globally. There is however a paucity of literature on the use and performance of EMR during MCIs. OBJECTIVE This study aims to describe EMR use, as well as the challenges and lessons learnt in response to the Beirut Port Blast, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions. METHODS Event setting, pre-existing emergency preparedness plan and use of EMR during an MCI at one of the largest academic tertiary care centers in Beirut, Lebanon were described. General response principles were observed, feedback was collected, and proposed modifications were summarized to help inform readers about EMR challenges and modifications required for MCI response plans. RESULTS Different aspects of EMR utilization during MCIs were described. IT support, reducing EMR system restrictions, cross function training, focus on registration and patient identification, patient flow and tracking, mobility and bedside access, alternate sites of care are all important areas to assess during emergency /disaster response planning. CONCLUSIONS Use of EMRs during MCIs can be challenging. Modifications to different elements of the disaster response plan are usually needed and innovative solutions can help improve response and reduce barriers to EMR use during MCIs.