Abstract
BACKGROUND: The hospital emergency plan is an important tool for hospitals in the management of a mass casualty incident. It is a legal requirement for hospitals to have such plans in place and to carry out drills. Emergency drills are a useful tool for the training of staff and for the evaluation of existing structures. The emergency plan of the University Hospital Würzburg (UKW) was evaluated during a disaster drill based on predefined drill objectives. METHODS: The procedures according to the emergency plan of the UKW were practiced during a large-scale disaster exercise. The exercise objectives were defined as: testing the management structure, deployment of personnel, physical organization, triage, patient flow and communication. Several exercise objectives were defined in advance. An anonymized questionnaire was used to evaluate the achievement of the exercise objectives. RESULTS: When properly trained and practiced the UKW emergency plan is generally well-suited to managing a mass casualty event. Improvements need to be made in the communication structure, responsibilities in the treatment areas and staff knowledge of the existing emergency plans and available material. DISCUSSION: Mass casualty drills are a good tool for the evaluation of hospital emergency plans. A critical and decisive element for success is the existence of a clear management and communication structure. A good knowledge of the available material, the contents of the emergency plan and the consistent application of the procedures defined in this plan are essential for a coordinated course of action. This can be achieved by means of regular and mandatory training sessions.