The Department of Finance, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, ChinaAbstract During the medical rescue of the earthquake, the Department of Finance of West China Hospital initiated emergency response plan, not only ensured the security of funds of hospital in the earthquake, but also opened a green channel of emergent finance to the wounded, so as to assure more than 2 600 wounded people of their registration for emergency treatment, emergent disposal, hospitalization, operation and medication, the comprehensive, precise and prompt record of which offered the government the basic data and references to work out the policy of financial subsidy for the treatment of the wounded. Furthermore, the financial supervision and management of materials and funds of disaster relief were reinforced.
After the May 12th Wenchuan earthquake, the Department of Architecture and Operation of West China Hospital took prompt action to examine the damage of the hospital buildings. And then experts were invited to perform a safety evaluation of all the hospital buildings. Meanwhile, a real-time monitoring system was initiated to identify any subsequent damage caused by after-shocks. In timely response to the clinical demand, potential dangers were removed so as to ensure the medical rescue work for the wounded.
This article introduces the emergent measures and approaches that West China Hospital has taken to ensure the supply of water, electricity, gas and oxygen during the May 12th Wenchuan earthquake.
During the medical rescue after the earthquake, the Security Department of West China Hospital understood those factors affecting the hospital safety in the earthquake disaster, established emergent communication platform and information release channel, and opened up special areas and passages for the wounded, so as to ensure smooth passages for the rescue work, security of disaster-relief materials as well as an orderly, safe and stable medical environment.
Objective To strengthen and improve the decision of emergency medical rescue and provide the experience for the world, the article evaluates the performance of emergency command in Yushu Earthquake.Methods All the materials seen during the first year after Yushu earthquake were collected, such as all documents, information notifications and work reports issued by the Central Government and the Ministry of Health, and all the information from the website of News Office of the State Council, Ministry of Health, State Seismology Bureau, Qinghai Provincial People’s Government, and Department of Health of Qinghai Province. The data were also searched from CNKI and descriptively analyzed after the retrospective study. Results Based on the experience from Wenchuan Earthquake, the emergency command in Yushu Earthquake was characterized by: a) Promptly starting a Level-1 response; b) Setting up and completing an integrated work mechanism of military, police and the local government; and c) Achieving an accurate command under the guidance of precise information. Conclusion As the successful precedent of large-scale medical and health rescue at the high-altitude area in the world, the experience of Yushu Earthquake supplements and enriches the Wenchuan’s, and provides references for both domestic and overseas disaster medical emergency response.
Objective To analyze the rationality of emergency medication in the West China Hospital after Lushan earthquake based on the actual drug use of earthquake victims. Methods We applied DDDs and DUI as evaluation index, input data using Excel software, and analyzed if the emergency medication was required for the injury/illness and the rationality of emergency medication. Results Earthquake victims mainly had trauma and wound infection and they were given antibiotics as main treatment one week after the earthquake. Drugs for the respiratory system and digestive system were mainly used in patients who mainly manifested as non-traumatic diseases and internal diseases four weeks after the earthquake. Among 49 kinds of drugs which could be calculated for the value of DUI, injection accounted for a larger proportion than non-injection (59.18% vs. 40.82%). The results showed that, the medication (DUI=1) only accounted for 12.24%; the medication (DUIlt;1, Mean=0.65) accounted for 38.78%, which implied insufficient drug use; the medication (DUIgt;1, Mean=1.77) accounted for 46.94%, which implied drug overuse. Conclusion Medication for every system is basically timely and rational when treating symptoms and causes in the West China Hospital within one month after Lushan earthquake. However, the rationality of emergency medications using DUI=1 under normal conditions still needs to be further verified.
During the medical rescue after Wenchuan earthquake, the Department of Appliances and Materials of West China Hospital took prompt action to ensure the regular operation of hospital devices and facilities. Meanwhile, owing to its specialized superiority of material and appliance purchase as well as the optimized processes for material and appliance supply, the hospital ensured the effective supply of disaster relief materials and efficiently managed the consumption of donated materials. From May 12 to 30, a total of 2 200 000 pieces of medical materials (total value RMB 3 770 000 Yuan) and 220 sets of medical appliance (total value RMB 9 000 000 Yuan) were purchased as part of the immediate medical rescue response to the earthquake.
Objective To examine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression for medical staffs who took part in rescue in the disaster area after Wenchuan Earthquake. Methods According to purpose sampling method, from June 12th to June 18th, we investigated the medical staffs in eight areas, and the total number was 500. The eight areas included Mianzhu, Deyang, Shifang, Chengdu, Mianyang, Pengzhou, Zitong, and Anxian. The survey tools were PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). After collecting all questionnaires, we divided 500 medical staffs into 2 groups, according to the fact whether the rescue was carried out in the disaster area or not. Results A total of 500 questionnaires were given to the subjects, of which 481 effective ones were collected, and the effective rate was about 96.2%. In addition, the prevalence of PTSD for overall was 23.3%, anxiety was 21.6%, depression was 49.9%, and the anxiety plus depression was 19.54%. At the same time, we found out the averages of PCL-C (48.29±29.90 vs. 34.76±18.03), PCL-C frequency (16.27±15.14 vs. 9.99±10.25), PCL-C severity (32.03±15.26 vs. 24.85±8.60), SAS primitive (37.39±10.35 vs. 32.22±7.61), SAS standard (46.73±12.94 vs. 40.27±9.51), SDS primitive (42.00±8.32 vs. 37.99±9.63), and SDS standard (52.50±10.39 vs. 47.48±11.92) were different. The medical staffs in the disaster area were under more severe conditions, and there were significant differences between the 2 groups. The prevalence of PTSD (28.52% vs. 16.59), anxiety (28.89% vs. 12.32%), depression (58.15% vs. 39.34%), and anxiety plus depression (26.67% vs. 10.43%) between the 2 groups was significantly different, and the disaster area was under severe conditions. Additionally, the prevalences at three levels within SAS and SDS were much higher in the disaster area. There were also significant differences. Conclusion The prevalences of PTSD, SAS, and SDS within medical staffs who took part in rescue in the disaster area after Wenchuan Earthquake are higher than in the non-disaster area. Therefore, we should work out mental intervention and rehabilitation project for medical staffs, especially those who took part in rescue in the disaster area. Finally, the medical staffs’ ability to copy with stress can be improved.
During the medical rescue of Wenchuan earthquake, in accordance with the instruction of the Chinese Ministry of Health, West China Hospital set up the Medical Supply Center for Medical Teams from Other Provinces, put up standard storehouses within 10 hours, performed professional purchase, precisely distributed medical materials according to relevant demands, and decided the scientific route based on the distribution of medical teams from other provinces, so as to ensure the medical materials’ being delivered to the medical teams safely, promptly and accurately.
Shortly after Wenchuan earthquake, the administrative leaders of West China Hospital accurately defined the role of the hospital during the medical rescue work as the treatment center for the seriously wounded, the supporting center for the local hospitals/clinics of the disaster areas, and the logistic supporting center for medical teams from other provinces. Integrated leadership of management and with efficient multi-department coordination and cooperation were emphasized. The mode of the hospital was immediately transformed from the regular state into a double-track emergent state. Scientific allocation and dispatch of resources were ensured to meet the ever-changing demand from all levels of rescue work. Three stages were defined based on the conditions of the wounded delivered to the hospital, with different main focuses for each stage. Owing to the multi-disciplinary cooperation and concerted efforts of a large number of experts from other provinces or even other countries, effective and efficient medical rescue service has been offered to all the wounded. Up to June 2nd, 2?618 cases from the disaster area have been treated, of whom 1 751 admitted into the inpatient department, 1 135 seriously wounded, 127 admitted into the Intensive Care Unit, 1 239 underwent operations and 77 treated with hemodialysis, with an inpatient mortality lower than 0.7%. Moreover, even during such a period of time, the routine medical service has been offered as regular to patients other than the wounded in the disaster.