Effective allocation of casualties to hospitals in mass casualty incidents

Abstract

The effective allocation of casualties amongst hospitals represents a crucial element of the response to any mass casualty incident. We propose a mathematical model to assist in achieving such a distribution by providing a means to evaluate and compare any proposed allocations. The model incorporates factors identified in the emergency medicine literature as of particular importance, including the availability of specialist treatment facilities and the dynamic nature of hospital capacity. The proposed model's application is demonstrated via a hypothetical mass casualty incident.