Moving Beyond The Katrina Crisis: From Danger To Opportunity Overview Of Key Lessons Learned For Better Disaster Preparedness From The American Journal Of The Medicine Sciences Third Post-Katrina Anniversary Symposium Issue

Now in the midst of our fourth hurricane season post-Hurricane Katrina, it is as important as ever to revisit the lessons learned from the devastating experience, primarily to ensure we are prepared in the event of another natural disaster. With at least 3 hurricane seasons behind us without incident (from the perspective of the Gulf Coast region), it is tempting but not prudent to slip into our comfort zones and ignore the possibility of another hurricane. In 2008, The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS) dedicated a symposium issue to the extended effects of the hurricane “crisis” on New Orleans and other areas of the Gulf Coast and its unanticipated silver lining in providing the impetus for better disaster preparedness (Am J Med Sci. 2008;336(2):91–214). The Japanese symbol on the cover of the AJMS symposium issue captured the meaning of the word crisis: danger evolving to opportunity. Physicians, administrators, medical educators, residents, and students expressively reflected on the unexpected disaster aftermath—the opportunities and successes.1 Certainly, many lessons were learned with this tragic experience, and the Gulf Coast is now better informed about what worked and what did not work during and after the disaster. The symposium issue addressed 4 areas of opportunities realized after the disaster: patient-focused disaster preparedness, medical education, health care infrastructure, and health care providers.1 I encourage readers to revisit the symposium issue and refresh their memory regarding how far we have come in the recovery effort and where we still need to go. With the fourth post-Katrina hurricane season underway, it is worth recapping the key issues related to patients and providers, along with recommendations for improved processes that were covered in the symposium issue. Physicians and other health care providers may find these reminders helpful as they counsel their patients and each other about advance planning in the event of a disaster. Two areas from the symposium issue after the Katrina crisis are summarized here: patient-focused disaster preparedness and health care providers.