Command Post Helps Houston Get "Back on its Feet"

The Houston medical community initiated a collaborative effort in response to the public health crisis left by Tropical Storm Allison.

A unified command post was established at the Houston VA Medical Center to facilitate patient transfers, and to distribute federal health and medical assets for the local community.

Dr. David Persse, physician director for Emergency Medical Services with the city of Houston, said this was a particularly unusual crisis since it's had such a tremendous impact on Houston's health care facilities. "This community-based effort met a very unique community challenge," Dr. Persse said.

Ben Taub General Hospital helped meet that challenge by accepting trauma patients from neighboring facilities. Also, the Houston VA Medical Center accepted more than 40 referral patients from community hospitals and the Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

DMAT, a facet of the National Disaster Medical System, under the Office of Emergency Preparedness and the U.S. Public Health Service, set up ambulatory care facilities at the Houston Police Academy, Grayson Center and the Reliant Energy Astrohall, which have since been discontinued. However, the U.S. Air Force has provided a 25-bed mobile emergency room at the Reliant Energy Astrohall.

"We're here to augment the existing structure until the city can get back on its feet and we can release it back into the local community's hands," said H. James Young, DMAT management support team commander.

The U.S. Public Health Service also came to the city's aid by providing more than 100 nurses, nurse practitioners and respiratory therapists who were deployed throughout the Texas Medical Center. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the coordinating agency that pulled all the federal resources together.

"This is an incredible effort by everyone involved," said Dr. Thomas Horvath, Houston VA Medical Center chief of staff. "Everyone has really pulled together to address the needs of the community."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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