Originally Posted By: chaosmagnet
Originally Posted By: mpb
the NG medics and MASH unites can cover.
THEY are already paid and equipped to handle most everything.
Duplication of services is expensive and wastefull.


1) Are there NG medics and MASH units in California with these capabilities? probably. But equipped doesn't mean staffed [b/]

2) Can these NG medics and MASH units respond as quickly as the "hospital in a box" units? [b] probably within a few days

3) How susceptible are they to being deployed overseas? very

4) Is there sufficient capacity for expected requirements? Including interstate mutual aid?
I doubt it

Without the answers to these questions it's hard to form an opinion. Given all the natural disasters that California is subject to and the parlous state of hospital capacity there, I have to wonder if there are other programs that should be cut first.

That's why there's DMAT teams and the like. But deploying NG, military reserves or DMATs takes days. Agree that there should be some overflow capacity, even if it's at a county level instead of each hospital.

Richlacal, they probably can't use prison medical. #1, the prisoners are garaunteed medical care, #2, their staff may not be credentialed to work at non-prison hospitals (ie, legally they can't work there), #3, prisoners might be injured too. You'd be suprised how much prison docs and nurses make.