More On What Shouldn't Happen

[Annie]

http://instapundit.com/archives/025338.php

September 05, 2005

MORE KATRINA RED TAPE: "Volunteer physicians are pouring in to care for the sick, but red tape is keeping hundreds of others from caring for Hurricane Katrina survivors while health problems rise."

UPDATE: More on this at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

After nearly a week spent waiting or driving from city to city chasing victims of Hurricane Katrina, the 31 doctors, nurses and paramedics arrived Sunday at Reunion Arena here expecting to find a shelter full of patients clamoring for care.

What they found instead were medical facilities already in place that were better than anything they could provide.

"They don't need us here," said Cari Spradlin, deputy commander the Georgia-3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team, activated after the storm hit.

Other volunteer physicians from across the country have poured into the South in week since Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, but many are finding roadblocks keeping them from caring for survivors.

If they're just not needed, that's good. When there's red tape keeping them from getting where they're needed (which is true elsewhere) that's bad. (Thanks to reader Joseph Britt for the link).

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Jeff Cook emails:

Some of the red tape is about credentialing. Trust me. Nuts come out of the woodwork pretending to be physicians in situations like this and whatever organization is responsible for health care is also in charge of making sure doctors and nurses are credentialed, even if they're not licensed in Louisiana. Hugely important.

Makes sense. But there should be a way to do this quickly in emergencies.
posted at 07:49 AM by Glenn Reynolds


Hurricane Katrina has displaced millions of families, destroying their homes and plunging them into uncertainty. Mercy Corps is working to deliver both immediate and longer-term aid to survivors. Please donate today to help families in need.

Links at site. This shouldn't be happening.