BC’s Mobile Medical Unit: Applied Disaster Medicine Course

Provincial Health Services Authority

All BC hospitals have Code Orange response protocols that aim to coordinate a safe and effective response to external disasters that may result in increased demand on hospital resources. However, fewer than 15 per cent of Canadian-trained physicians report receiving any form of disaster response training.

One of the challenges has been the lack of a framework or guideline outlining the expected roles of health care professionals and administrators during a disaster. The solution: The Applied Disaster Medicine Course.

The first of its kind in Canada, the standardized curriculum developed by BC’s Mobile Medical Unit uses the latest literature in disaster medicine practices and can be adapted and tailored to meet the needs of regional health authorities and even individual hospitals. To date, over 100 health care professionals, including social workers, nurses and physicians have completed the Applied Disaster Medicine Course, and more BC hospitals have expressed interest in making it available to their staff.

For pioneering a proactive approach to better disaster response, Provincial Health Services Authority’s Applied Disaster Medicine Course has been awarded the Gold Apple for Top Innovation.

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