AMA Urges Caution for Haiti Volunteers

Medical professionals wanting to help with earthquake disaster relief in Haiti should exercise caution, experts from the American Medical Association said in a webinar presented Jan. 16. The program was held jointly by the National Disaster Life Support Foundation Inc, the American Public Health Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Injury Response, the American Nurses Association, and the AMA journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.

Prospective volunteers should check with their professional organizations for specific guidelines. The webinar warned against “spontaneous” or “unaffiliated” volunteers showing up at a disaster site where, unknown to relief coordinators, they can get in the way or end up being used inefficiently.

The AMA will soon offer a clearinghouse of appropriate volunteers needed in Haiti. Currently Partners in Health is calling for orthopedic surgeons, trauma surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, OR nurses, post-op nurses, and surgical technicians.

Relief workers traveling to Haiti should check out the safety guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control. The American College of Radiology also has a list of charities working to help Haiti.

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Related Seminar: Emergency Radiology