LESSONS LEARNED IN DELIVERY OF POST-EARTHQUAKE ORTHOPEDIC SURGICAL CARE IN HAITI

In 2010, Haiti was devastated by an earthquake, which resulted in a large death toll and left the country in ruins. Many organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, mobilized rapidly in mounting a humanitarian response to the disaster. Pertinent to this natural disaster, orthopedic care remains one of the most important surgical specialties in post-earthquake care due to the abundance of fractures and crush injuries. Despite many volunteer disaster relief providers responding to the call, teams experienced difficulty providing high-level medical care, specifically delivery of orthopedic care. Examining lessons from prior earthquakes is of particular importance for planning the necessary response required for inevitable future earthquakes. This review will examine barriers to care as well as lessons learned in delivery of post-earthquake orthopedic care experienced in Haiti. The lessons compiled in this review will highlight the need for pre-disaster training and implementation of minimum surgical standards, pre-planned logistics and team management, cooperation of military and civilian teams, and effective use of communication technology.