Tennessee is making it easier for medical professionals to respond to disasters across state lines. This year, the General Assembly passed a bill to recognize the credentials of out-of-state health care workers who belong to a volunteer registry.
They would only be able to practice in the state if an emergency has been declared, and would be subject to Tennessee’s regulations and disciplinary measures.
Vanderbilt Trauma Surgeon Jeffrey Guy says it’s a much-needed change.
Following Hurricane Katrina, Guy coordinated groups of medical volunteers who had to scramble to fill out applications for emergency credentials.
The applications were then processed by federal offices that were understaffed thanks to a three-day weekend. Guy says one large group he was helping is an example of how the system broke down.
“A group of trauma surgeons, nurses and two semi loads of equipment and a mobile operating room – they could not get into the state of Mississippi. They were greeted at the state border. They recognized that they had federal approval but they had the wrong federal approval.”
Even in a best-case scenario, Guy says he’s been told a hospital like Vanderbilt would have to hold its own for 96 hours under the old system before getting help from out-of-state doctors and nurses.
Under the new law, relief will come as soon as registered volunteers can get there.
A similar bill was passed in Kentucky this year, and five other states, including Mississippi, are currently considering it.
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