Disaster responders are frequently emergency physicians (EPs). Effective response is enhanced by the strong support of home institutions and clear policies for backfill of regular duties. A group of disaster medicine responders and researchers worked with an academic department of emergency medicine to create a policy that addresses concerns of deploying physicians, colleagues remaining at the home institution, and administrators. This article describes the process and content of this policy development work. Kahn CA , Koenig KL , Schultz CH . Emergency physician disaster deployment: issues to consider and a model policy. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):462-464.
Keywords: ED emergency department; EP emergency physician; USERRA Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; disaster medicine; disasters; policy making; rescue work.