First, a reminder:  tomorrow (Tuesday) night at 8 PM, the Quarterly Triage Day Drill (QTD) starts.  Second, the most common question we’ve gotten has been how can we scan the barcode if all the Training Tags have the same number? 

 

It’s true that the BLUE Training Tags all have the same number; that’s why we use the GREEN Drill Tags for QTDs.  Each tag has a unique number, and a bar code to match.  So all you have to do is scan the GREEN Triage Tag bar code (no names for this exercise), then enter three other things: 1)  Gender; 2) Triage Level (Red, Yellow, etc.); and Current Location (meaning which hospital or ED).

 

All the rest of the information about the QTD is below.

 

As discussed during multiple regional meetings, the region’s next Quarterly Triage Day (QTD) Drill will include some new procedures.  Our region has had numerous real-world events demonstrating how important it is that all EMS and hospital ED personnel have complete familiarity with MCI tools such as triage ribbons and tags, the RHNS, MCI radio talk groups, the Surgenet MCI page, and OHTrac.

·        OHTrac incident creation and the request for RHNS messages will be performed by selected personnel from around the region.  More about that in a separate email.

·        Because of the critical importance that OHTrac played in multiple incidents, the GDAHA West Central Ohio Regional Healthcare Coalition is strongly recommending that every emergency department patient be entered into OHTrac during this 24 hours. 

o   Only four items need entered:  1)  Triage Tag # (do NOT enter patient names for this exercise); 2)  Gender; 3) Triage Level (Red, Yellow, etc.); and Current Location (meaning which hospital or ED).

o   By far the easiest method of OHTrac entry is by scanning the Triage Tag bar code, either using the OHTrac smartphone app or by using a barcode scanner that will connect via computer directly to OHTrac.

o   Even when patients are entered by EMS, for this drill, the Location should be entered as the hospital or ED.

o   Because all patients will be entered in OHTrac during this QTD, it is crucial that EMS apply a ribbon and triage tag on EVERY PATIENT.

o   Wherever possible, EMS is requested to enter patients into OHTrac, and note that on the Triage Tag.

·        The QTD will begin at 8:00 PM (2000 Hours) on October 1^st, and continue until 8:00 PM (2000 Hours) the next day, October 2^nd.  Please share this email with all ED and EMS personnel.

·         Hospitals will monitor MCI radios from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM (2000-2400) on the first day and from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM (0800-1200) the next day.  

·        EMS crews transporting patients to a hospital during these times should provide a brief, MCI-style report to the hospital over MCI radio talk groups.

 

During this exercise every patient should receive a triage ribbon and a GREEN triage tag.  Hospitals must update their GDAHA Surgenet MCI page at least once every 8 hours.

·        We encourage every EMS unit to look at the GDAHA Surgenet MCI page.  During an MCI, it’s a potentially invaluable tool to help your Transport Officer avoid overloading individual hospitals.  You can view it at https://gdaha.surgenet.org, the same website you use for Hospital Reroute information. 

·        If you don’t have a login (EMS agencies can use generic apparatus logins), or if your login doesn’t show the MCI section pictured on the attached QTD Flyer, just click the Request Access button.

 

There is more information in the attachments.  PLEASE POST THE FLYERS and help us get the word out to all line personnel, both in EMS and in EDs.

We updated the training materials in February.  If you haven’t seen them yet, go to http://gmvemsc.org/training-mcicomm.html, watch the video (the top video is for EMS, bottom video is for hospital personnel), then, regardless of which you watch, take the quiz at the bottom of the page to receive 1.5 Hours of Con Ed.

If you need additional GREEN triage tags or triage ribbons, contact GDAHA or Dayton MMRS. 

At the conclusion of your shift or the end of the drill, please take a couple of minutes to complete a feedback form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QTDFeedback or by scanning this QR code with your phone:   

 

Thank you for participating in QTD drills to help our region be better prepared for mass casualty incidents of all types.  Two more short emails will follow.