Factors Associated with Behavioral Health Outcomes in Veterinarians Involved in Disaster Responses.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine what factors are associated with behavioral health in veterinary disaster responders.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was distributed via snowball sampling. Results were analyzed using chi-square analyses.

Bleeding Control Protections Within US Good Samaritan Laws.

Introduction: In the United States, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs). Designed to encourage bystanders to aid at the scene of an emergency, GSLs generally limit the risk of civil tort liability if the care is rendered in good faith. Nation-wide, a leading cause of preventable death is uncontrolled external hemorrhage.

Changes needed in the care for sheltered persons: a multistate analysis from Hurricane Katrina.

Objectives: Following Hurricane Katrina, nearly 1,400 evacuation shelters were opened in 27 states across the nation to accommodate the more than 450,000 evacuees from the gulf region. The levee breaks in New Orleans and storm surge in Mississippi brought about significant morbidity and mortality, ultimately killing more than 1,300 people. The purpose of this study was to summarize the health needs of approximately 30,000 displaced persons who resided in shelters in eight states, including prescription medication needs, dispersement of durable medical equipment, and referrals for further care.

A physician's due: measuring physician billing performance, benchmarking results.

A 2008 study focused on four key performance indicators (KPIs) and staffing levels to benchmark the FYO7 performance of physician group billing operations. A comparison of the change in the KPIs from FYO3 to FYO7 for a number of these billing operations disclosed across-the-board improvements. Billing operations did not show significant changes in staffing levels during this time, pointing to the existence of obstacles that prevent staff reductions in this area.

Mass-casualty triage: time for an evidence-based approach.

Mass-casualty triage has developed from a wartime necessity to a civilian tool to ensure that constrained medical resources are directed at achieving the greatest good for the most number of people. Several primary and secondary triage tools have been developed, including Simple Treatment and Rapid Transport (START), JumpSTART, Care Flight Triage, Triage Sieve, Sacco Triage Method, Secondary Assessment of Victim Endpoint (SAVE), and Pediatric Triage Tape. Evidence to support the use of one triage algorithm over another is limited, and the development of effective triage protocols is an important research priority.

Strategies to improve sleep during extended search and rescue operations.

Objective: This study investigated strategies to improve sleeping conditions during search and rescue operations during disaster response.

Methods: Forty members of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Urban Search and Rescue Team were surveyed for individual sleep habits and sleeping aids used during extended deployments. Team members were also asked to suggest methods to improve sleep on future deployments.

A comparative analysis of two external health care disaster responses following Hurricane Katrina.

Objective: Hurricane Katrina severely disrupted the health services in the U.S. Gulf Coast, necessitating an external health care response.

Seasonal effects of dehydration on glucose mobilization in freeze-tolerant chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata) and freeze-intolerant toads (Bufo woodhousii and B. cognatus).

It has been hypothesized that freeze-tolerance in anurans evolved from a predisposition for dehydration tolerance. To test this hypothesis, we dehydrated summer/fall-collected and winter acclimated freeze-tolerant chorus frogs and dehydration-tolerant, but freeze-intolerant, Woodhouse's and Great Plains toads to 25% and 50% body water loss (BWL). Following treatments, we measured glucose, glycogen, and glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthetase (summer/fall only) activities in liver and leg muscle.