Decision-support information system to manage mass casualty incidents at a level 1 trauma center.

Mass casualty incidents are probably the greatest challenge to a hospital. When such an event occurs, hospitals are required to instantly switch from their routine activity to conditions of great uncertainty and confront needs that exceed resources. We describe an information system that was uniquely designed for managing mass casualty events.

Management of mass casualty events: the Israeli experience.

Purpose: Among all the emergency scenarios, the most common medical emergency event in Israel is the conventional mass casualty event (MCE). This article describes the Israeli model of emergency preparedness and management at the national level, step-by-step emergency management at the hospital level, and nursing roles in emergency events.

Setting: Israel has a unique national and local model of organizing and managing an emergency event, characterized by a central national organization that is responsible for emergency policy, management, coordination, quality control, and ongoing improvement.