Smart algorithms for patient assignment in disasters

Abstract We describe the design and implementation of a system to automate patient handling and assignment to hospitals in mass disasters involving a large number of injured victims over a wireless network. In addition, the previously developed MEDTOC system is modified and enhanced to include location-aware features at the disaster site, as well as quick classification and assignment of patients to nearby hospitals. We present the designed implementation and the results from a simulated disaster involving a fictitious 20-story apartment building located in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. It is expected that chaotic mass-disaster situations can be more suitably controlled and stabilized by using the techniques from this project, thus saving more lives.