Each discipline within the fields of disaster and emergency management highlights the necessity of a universal ethical code. Members of a triage team must be sure that they are professional and qualified. Preferably, the members should have experience in mass-casualty incidents and in managing critically injured patients.
Modern triage is based on an on-scene assessment, in conjunction with the judgment of the actual and possible severity and prognosis of each victim. During a disaster, triage teams must decide who to treat first, knowing that withdrawal of medical treatment is more difficult than withholding treatment.
A computer-generated prediction of death is an objective statement concerning the patient’s inability to overcome the initial trauma,despite treatment and therapy. Nevertheless, prediction rules may represent an advanced form of audit when used appropriately. They can confirm early decisions on the relevance of continuing treatment.
This presentation also discusses the remaining considerations linked with the problem of triage in the context of medical ethics and international laws.
Keywords: disaster; emergency management; ethics; international; triage