We aimed to determine the scientific framework for research on disaster and mass casualty incident (MCI) in Korea, especially Korean terminology, feasible definition, and epidemiologic indices. The two staged policy Delphi method was performed by instructors of National Disaster Life Support (NDLS(R)) with the constructed questionnaire containing items based on the literature review. The first-stage survey was conducted by 11 experts through two rounds of survey for making issue and option. The second-stage survey was conducted by 35 experts for making a generalized group based consensus. Experts were selected among instructors of National Disaster Life Support Course. Through two staged Delphi survey experts made consensus: 1) the Korean terminology "jaenan" with "disaster" and "dajung-sonsang-sago" with "MCI"; 2) the feasible definition of "disaster" as the events that have an effect on one or more municipal local government area (city-county-district) or results in > or = 10 of death or > or = 50 injured victims; 3) the feasible definition of MCI as the events that result in > or = 6 casualties including death; 4) essential 31 epidemiologic indices. Experts could determine the scientific framework in Korea for research on disaster medicine, considering the distinct characteristics of Korea and current research trends.
Adult ; *Disaster Planning ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Casualty Incidents/*classification ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Terminology as Topic

PURPOSE: Effective triage at the emergency department entrance is the key to dealing with mass casualty incidents. However, in Korea, triage has been accomplished at the disaster scene or at the hospital in only a few cases. Thus, we report on the planning and preparation for triage at Asan Medical Center (AMC) for mass casualty incidents. METHODS: We review the AMC disaster plan and the triage systems used in previous disasters. Also, we review triage principles appearing in the literature. We describe basic hospital triage principles, which include the treatment site, the triage site, the triage officer, triage categories, and triage tags. RESULTS: 1) For external disaster, the emergency department is reassigned to four treatment sites before patients arrive. At the triage site, an emergency medicine specialist classifies patients into six groups according to treatment priority and resources. After classification, a triage tag is attached to each patient, and patients are moved to the previously designated treatment site. 2) For internal disaster, the head nurse (or senior nurse) classifies patients into three groups: urgent, minor, and delayed. The minor group is sent to the casualty collection point while the urgent and delayed groups are moved to the triage site. CONCLUSION: Hospitals should prepare a disaster plan. In particular, preplanning for triage is essential to cope with internal and external disasters. In addition, emergency medicine specialists should play a key role in disaster planning and are essential for successful implementation of the disaster plan.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Classification ; Disaster Planning ; Disasters ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Casualty Incidents* ; Nursing, Supervisory ; Specialization ; Triage*