In a survey, 91% of emergency medicine physicians say they have recently experienced a drug shortage and 44% say their facilities are inadequately prepared for a surge of patients during a disaster.
The vast majority of emergency room physicians face shortages of key medications and doubt whether their organizations are "fully prepared" for a disaster, polling data shows.
The poll's findings were released today by the American College of Emergency Physicians in Washington, DC. The survey, which was conducted from April 30 to May 7, has 247 respondents.
"Hospitals and emergency medical services continue to suffer significant gaps in disaster preparedness, as well as national drug shortages for essential emergency medications. These shortages can last for months, or longer, and constitute a significant risk to patients," ACEP President Paul Kivela, MD, FACEP, said in a prepared statement.
The poll's findings are alarming. "Emergency physicians are concerned that our system cannot even meet daily demands, let alone during a medical surge for a natural or man-made disaster."
Most emergency medicine doctors are facing struggles with drug shortages, according to the ACEP poll: