Mij mankeert niets: Ervaringen van huisartsen tijdens en na een ramp

Soeteman RJH. I’m all right: Experiences of General Practitioners during and after a disaster. Huisarts Wet 2006;49(6):299-303. Not much is known about the consequences for general practitioners (GPs) in case of large scale disasters. After the Enschede firework disaster, the author, being a GP at Enschede, had several conversations with seven Enschede GPs with damage to their dwellings or practices or being involved in medical assistance during and/or after the disaster. The disaster was a striking experience to them. Instantly after the disaster, their new and unexpected role as aid workers in an emergency setting was hard to accept. In the later aftercare phase, they had to convince the authorities of the crucial role they could play in the post-disaster health care, because all victims already were enlisted in their practices and thus were known to them. In the aftercare phase, the GPs encouraged their victims to tell about their experiences. Doctor and patient felt a mutual understanding by talking about the disaster both had gone through. A system of support was developed by the GPs themselves in the aftercare phase, like the employment of deputy GP’s and administrative staff, and training skills. The GPs found it hard to consider themselves as victims of the disaster. They thought themselves less struck by the disaster than others, e.g. their patients. One GP ironically talked about the ‘I’m all right’-syndrome. © 2006, Bohn Stafleu van Loghum.