Discussion On Disaster Medicine Preparedness, Ethics, Led By Katrina Doctor, Anna Pou, M.D.

Main Category: Aid / Disasters
Also Included In: Public Health;  Primary Care / General Practice;  Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Article Date: 25 Sep 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Anna Pou, MD, known nationally for her heroic efforts in patient care during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, led a discussion on emergency preparedness and disaster medicine, plus the need for establishing ethical guidelines and legislative protections for healthcare professionals. She spoke at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Pou, a head and neck surgeon and associate professor of otorhinolaryngology at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, was arrested for the deaths of four elderly patients at Memorial Medical Center while she was one of the few physicians who stayed to care for patients despite the evacuations. A year later, a grand jury declined to indict Dr. Pou on charges of second-degree murder. Dr. Pou has since used her story to help pass landmark legislation in Louisiana protecting physicians and healthcare professionals from criminal liability for care given during disaster events in the state.

Dr. Pou was joined by AAO-HNSF Ethics Committee Chair G. Richard Holt, MD, who earlier this year authored an invited article in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery calling on the U.S. medical community to develop a national consensus on ethical guidelines for physicians and healthcare professionals who care for casualties of disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or terrorist attacks.

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Title: Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management: What You Need to Know
Presenters: Anna M. Pou, MD (moderator); G. Richard Holt, MD MSE MPH; Joseph Brennan, MD; Rick T. Simmons, Jr., LLM, JD
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2008,

About the AAO-HNS

The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (http://www.entnet.org/), one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents more than 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's vision: "Empowering otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons to deliver the best patient care."

Source: Matt Daigle
American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery

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