Hurricanes in Gulf Coast Region

Volunteer Opportunities

At this time, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the main coordinating group for volunteer physicians, is NO longer accepting Katrina-related individual medical and relief worker applications. More than 33,000 health care professionals and relief personnel have registered with the HHS for possible deployment in affected areas.

For other volunteer opportunities, visit the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Web page https://volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov/.

Louisiana passed legislation to protect volunteer physicians working in the relief effort in LA. This legislation provides that volunteer physicians are immune from liability in LA. http://www.tsged.com/PublicHealthEmergencyDeclaration.doc  

If you are providing care to evacuees, Katrinahealth.org is a database that has been created by numerous physician and pharmacy groups to provide licensed physicians and pharmacists access to the electronic prescription records of evacuees. You will need to apply for a login and password as directed on the website.
http://www.katrinahealth.org

AMA listing of state specific volunteer opportunities with links.
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/15474.html#volunteer

Louisiana specific sites
State Of Louisiana 's official website for dissemination of information concerning hurricanes Katrina and Rita
http://www.katrina.louisiana.gov

Louisiana Department of health and hospitals volunteer site. https://204.58.123.226/helpthemnow/index.html

Louisiana State Medical Society provides updated information on the recovery effort, avenues for locating relocated physicians and patients and much more.
http://www.lsms.org

Emergency physicians are also needed for the Temporary Medical Operations Staging Areas set up in Baton Rouge at the LSU Pete Maravich Assembly Center and at Nichols State University in Thibodaux. The Louisiana Office of Public Health has hotlines you can call if you can offer assistance.

Carl Maddox Field House 225.219.0821
Pete Maravich Assembly Center 225.578.0377
OLOL Medical Staff Office 225.765.8871
Dr. Jean Takenaka, Office of Public Health, Emergency Operations Center, at 225.763.5751 or mail to: jtakenak@dhh.la.gov

Mississippi Specific Sites
The coordinators at the Institute for Quality Healthcare are coordinating the physician volunteer efforts for Mississippi . Please contact Dianne Greenlee at IQH if you would like to volunteer at (601) 957-1575 x 260. Multiple ongoing needs have been identified.

Mississippi State Medical Association
http://www.msmaonline.com/