CHEST Guidelines-Resource-Poor-Settings--Infrastructure-and-Capacit

Resource-Poor-Settings--Infrastructure-and-Capacit

Pdf Summary

The 2014 CHEST Consensus Statement addresses mass critical care (MCC) planning in resource-poor settings, emphasizing the need for infrastructure and capacity building to manage critically ill and injured populations during pandemics and disasters. The task force involved experts from various medical and public health fields and engaged in a thorough process to develop evidence-based recommendations, given the lack of data for such settings.<br /><br />The panel defined "resource-poor or constrained setting" as a location with limited critical care resources like oxygen and trained personnel. They identified five key domains to explore: definition, infrastructure and capacity building, resources, response, and recovery. This led to 33 expert-opinion suggestions, focusing on infrastructure/capacity in the first part and response/recovery/research in a follow-up article.<br /><br />Key aspects of capacity building include strengthening primary care systems, public health education, and leveraging expertise in various medical disciplines. The report suggests mitigating the intellectual siphoning of critical care experts from poorer to richer countries and investing in context-specific education and innovative staffing to maximize limited resources.<br /><br />The consensus also emphasizes the need for collaboration with international organizations, NGOs, and local governments to enhance preparations for mass critical care. Partnerships should focus on communication, planning, and resource allocation. Simultaneously, developing countries should aim to establish a minimum level of critical care at district or regional hospitals, prioritizing areas with the most significant potential impact.<br /><br />Finally, the statement encourages research on primary health improvements, effective disaster response practices, and sustainable technology use. Future efforts should measure outcomes and adjust strategies to improve the resilience and capabilities of under-resourced health systems in crises.

Keywords

mass critical care

resource-poor settings

capacity building

pandemics

disasters

infrastructure

public health

critical care resources

international collaboration

disaster response