Role of the Forward Medical Point in disasters

Abstract

Introduction: The medical situation in the outbreaks of calamities and accidents with casualties and combined injuries is complicated and requires adequate management. In order to carry out these activities in the immediate vicinity of the outbreak or on the escape routes, the Forward Medical Point is carried out. Purpose: Bringing arguments of the need and role of the Forward Medical Point as an important element in the pre-hospital stage in case of outbreak with multiple casualties and combined injuries to prevent severe complications and deaths. Material and methods: Descriptive study. There have been studied scientific publications and disaster prevention and response strategies with multiple casualties from the USA, EU, including Romania, and the Republic of Moldova during international exercises. Results: The conducted study had established the advantages of developing the Forward Medical Point as an element in pre-hospital stage of medical systems with missions in the intermediate triage of casualties with their distribution into groups in relation to the danger to others and the homogeneous needs of treatment and evacuation, providing urgent medical care according to medical indications, prevention of overloading the hospital stage by evacuating casualties in correct destination. Conclusions: The Forward Medical Point near the outbreak with multiple casualties at the pre-hospital stage ensures the prevention of severe complications, significantly contributing to the number of saved lives, increasing accessibility of the injured to qualified and specialized medical care at the hospital level.