Challenges of Crisis Management in Disasters and Mass Casualty Incidents

Introduction: Since disasters and mass casualty incidents (MCIs) often occur without warning, there is little opportunity for a thorough investigation of the event and its response. Consequently, managing these incidents poses significant challenges for individuals and organizations alike. Therefore, this study aims to examine the challenges of crisis management in mass casualty incidents. Methodology: The present research is a review study conducted using existing literature from databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. After screening the studies and assessing their quality, this study identifies and describes common challenges in disaster management and mass casualty incidents through case reports and lessons learned. The inclusion criteria encompassed all types of relevant studies related to disasters and mass casualty incidents. Results: In total, four significant challenges were identified from ۲۲ case reports and lessons learned from various types of disasters: (۱) the adaptation of medical response to the actual and general situation, (۲) balancing the discrepancy between the emergency plan and reality, (۳) establishing an effective crisis organization, and (۴) identifying the situation and managing uncertainty. Conclusion: The challenges associated with managing disasters and mass casualty incidents primarily relate to the ability to manage uncertainty and unexpected situations, necessitating the use of structured processes for response. The capacity to change mindset, organization, and procedures is essential from both organizational and individual perspectives. Non-medical factors and internal dynamics impact medical management, and all these factors should be considered for an effective, timely, and flexible response.

کلیدواژه ها:

mass casualties ، crisis management ، disaster management ، challenges