FAQ

Personal health insurance

Psychological screening and support

Medivac support plan while team is on deployment

Uniforms that the team can wear on deployment 

Field training in global health, disaster medicine and for the provision of care in an austere environment

Vaccinations before deployment

Medications for prophylaxis and/or vector before and during deployment

Fitness training to ensure the appropriate level of fitness in an austere environment

 Specialized Cells Include: 

1. A new user account must be created.

The organizational focal point completes the required fields and submits the information through the on-line form. The information is then reviewed and pending approval, the organization will be granted an account.

2. Once the account request is made, the user is sent an email with log-in instructions.

At this time, the user can then log-in to and follow the steps to submitting their application. 

Organizations who wish to submit an expression of interest application for classifying their EMTs should apply. These organizations must adhere to the minimum standards and principles of Foreign Medical Teams. 

Sudden Onset Disaster (SOD)

The EMTs agree to:

1. Register with the relevant national authority or lead international agency on arrival.
2. Collaborate with inter-agency response coordination mechanisms at global, national and sub-national levels, as well as with other EMTs and health systems.

1. EMTs will undertake to report on arrival what type, capacity and services they can offer based on the international EMT classification system.

1. EMTs will undertake to report at regular intervals during response, and prior to departure, to the national and the cluster, using national reporting formats, or if not available, the agreed international reporting format.

1. EMTs will undertake to keep confidential records of interventions, clinical monitoring and possible complications.

1. EMTs will undertake for the individual patient, to have record of treatment performed and referral for follow-up planned as needed.

1. EMTs will undertake to be part of the wider health referral system, and depending on type, offer to accept or refer or both accept and refer patients to other EMTs, the national health system or, if approved, other countries.

EMTs will adhere to professional guidelines:

1. All their staff must be registered to practice in their home country
2. All their staff must have license to practice for the work they are assigned to by the agency.

EMTs ensure that:

1. All their staff are specialists in their field.
2. Their personnel are appropriately trained in either conflict or sudden onset disaster surgical injury management if relevant. The majority should have training and experience in global health, disaster medicine and providing care in austere environments. Acknowledging the need to train and provide experience to new staff, there may be scope for junior and inexperienced staff in the later phase of a disaster response and working under direct supervision of experienced colleagues.

1. EMTs will ensure that all pharmaceutical products and equipment they bring complies with international quality standards and drug donation guidelines.

1. EMTs are self-sufficient and do not put demand on logistic support from the affected country, unless agreed otherwise before deployment.

EMT complies with:

1. Minimal hygiene and sanitation standards,
2. Minimal standards required for management of medical waste.

EMTs must ensure:

1. The team and individuals within it are covered by adequate medical malpractice insurance.
2. That there are mechanisms in place to deal with patient complaints and allegations of malpractice.

1. EMTs must have arrangements in place for the care of their team members health and safety including repatriation and exit strategies if required.

• Demonstrates commitment to adhering to core principles and standards for EMTs
• Demonstrates an interest in understanding the EMT concept and importance of accountability when providing medical assistance following a disaster
• Improves integration, collaboration and networking between EMTs pre and post deployment, shared learning and training.
• Enable EMTS to benefit from logistical support on-site and to receive guidance on suitable locations to establish their team
• Assists in guiding providers to deliver targeted training and preparation for EMTs pre-deployment to help meet healthcare and logistical needs that cannot be met nationally following a SOD
• Provides confidence to donors to fund registered EMTs
• Knowledge that registration will facilitate the invitation to be deployed

• Provides assurance to recipient countries that registered EMTs have declared to meet agreed international minimum standards and core principles.
• Identifies, through declaration, capabilities and operational capacity of EMTs which helps in targeting health needs in the affected country
• Assists in strengthening national response by supporting requirement for National governments to invite and authorize select EMTs from the register.
• Improves coordination, and thus timeliness of entry, response and mobilization of EMTs, in line with other international teams (such as USAR) arriving to an affected country
• Improves collaboration between local, national and international teams in targeting needs, and mapping of response.
• Assists in predicting likely response from EMTs following a SOD
• Improves management of surge mechanisms with other organizations
• Contributes to improving professional accountability of practice by EMTs deploying
• Helps develop a greater understanding at all government and non government levels amongst those that send and receive FMTs to improve response coordination and standards and thereby reduce morbidity and mortality from a particular SOD.
• Assists in exit co-ordination of EMTs, information and data gathering and thus future responses
• Improves collaborations with host government response activities