Assessment of prehospital and hospital response in diaster

The problems associated with assessment of the response of a prehospital/hospital system to a disaster will be less severe if they are addressed to some degree in the disaster plan. A general protocol for assessment could be developed as part of the disaster planning effort and evaluation staff could tentatively be identified by position (e.g., emergency department medical director). The issue of data availability could be confronted and provisions made for the recording of at least minimal information on patient log forms under disaster conditions.