Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Appendix B Model Hospital Mutual
Aid Memorandum of Understanding
1
I. Introduction and Background
As in other parts of the nation, (name of city,
county, and or state served by MOU) is suscep-
tible to disasters, both natural and man-made,
that could exceed the resources of any individual
hospital. A disaster could result from incidents
generating an overwhelming number of patients,
from a smaller number of patients whose special-
ized medical requirements exceed the resources
of the impacted facility (e.g., hazmat injuries,
pulmonary, trauma surgery, etc.), or from inci-
dents such as building or plant problems resulting
in the need for partial or complete hospital
evacuation.
MOU), for the purpose of providing mutual aid
at the time of a medical disaster. For purposes
of this MOU, a
disaster
is defined as an over-
whelming incident that
exceeds the effective
response capability
of the impacted health care
facility or facilities. An incident of this magni-
tude will almost always involve (name of local)
emergency management agency and (name of
local) public health department. The disaster may
be an “external” or “internal” event for hospi-
tals and
assumes that each affected hospital's
emergency management plans have been fully
implemented
.
This document addresses the relationships
between and among hospitals and is intended
to augment, not replace, each facility's disaster
plan. The MOU also provides the framework
for hospitals to coordinate as a single H-MAS
community in actions with (name of local) manage-
ment agency, (name of local) public health depart-
ment, and emergency medical services during
planning and response. This document does not
replace but rather supplements the rules and proce-
dures governing interaction with other organi-
zations during a disaster (e.g., law enforcement
agencies, the local emergency medical services,
local public health department, fire departments,
American Red Cross, etc).
By signing this Memorandum of Understanding
each hospital is evidencing its intent to abide by the
terms of the MOU in the event of a medical disaster
as described above. The terms of this MOU are
to be incorporated into the hospital's emergency
management plans.
II. Purpose of Mutual Aid
Memorandum of Understanding
The mutual aid support concept is well established
and is considered “standard of care” in most
emergency response disciplines. The purpose
of this mutual aid support agreement is to aid
hospitals in their emergency management by
authorizing the Hospital Mutual Aid System
(H-MAS). H-MAS addresses the loan of medical
personnel, pharmaceuticals, supplies, and equip-
ment, or
assistance with emergent hospital
evacuation,
including
accepting
transferred
patients.
This Mutual Aid Memorandum of Under-
standing (MOU) is a voluntary agreement among
the hospital members, (name of hospital asso-
ciation or council) or
(list hospitals party to
1
The American Hospital Association is grateful to the District of Columbia Hospital Association, who developed the original MOU
from which this model is adapted
.
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