In the context of a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI), what is the primary purpose of the MAC?

The primary purpose of the Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) is to find beds for patients during a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI). During such incidents, there is often a sudden influx of injured individuals that can overwhelm the available medical facilities. The MAC operates as a centralized entity that helps in assessing the status and availability of different healthcare facilities, ensuring that patients are efficiently allocated to hospitals based on their needs and the resources available.

By identifying which hospitals have the capacity to admit patients, the MAC plays a critical role in optimizing the use of medical resources during a situation where demand vastly exceeds normal operating capacity. This coordination is essential in minimizing chaos, reducing wait times for critical patients, and ensuring that all survivors receive timely medical attention. The focus on finding beds underscores the importance of timely decision-making and resource management in crisis response.

While other aspects such as triage protocols, managing medical supplies, and coordinating emergency personnel are vital components of an effective response to an MCI, they serve secondary roles to the immediate urgency of ensuring that there are available treatment spaces for patients needing urgent care.