Thousands of Haitian earthquake victims have received medical care from more than 480 members of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons since January, with 500 other doctors on standby.
The effort began less than 48 hours after the Jan. 12 quake as the academy developed a database of members willing to help, coordinated with medical aid agencies to deploy them, came up with stateside hospitals willing to take patients, and worked with the government to coordinate patients' transfer to the U.S. The academy has spent more than $130,000 in support of its efforts, not including volunteer time.
Now, the academy and its members are working with the military and other government organizations to develop physician-training plans and a formal disaster preparedness plan to address future catastrophes, as earthquake-related injuries often are orthopedic in nature.
