Table 2 Comparative summary
| Â | Norway | France |
|---|---|---|
Context | • Little focus on terrorism, more on disasters in general • References to plans and experiences from other countries | • Specific focus on terrorism, alongside other disasters • References to previous experiences in France, little from other countries |
Process | • Local municipalities have much responsibility and flexibility to adapt healthcare responses • Responsibilities and organization in a crisis situation are based on the principles of responsibility, subsidiarity, and homogeneity • Immediate and long-term follow-up covered | • More centralized responsibility in larger geographical units, with pre-existing, disaster-specific networks regularly gathered and trained • Established mechanisms for powering-up the healthcare system in disasters • Strongest focus on the immediate to post-immediate aftermath |
Actors - providers | • Several ministries involved, but no interministerial units • Multidisciplinary primary care based acute and long-term care | • Interministerial units established to respond to terrorist attacks • Specialized mental healthcare practitioners provide acute care and support |
Actors - target population | • Main focus is on directly affected individuals. The term 'victim' is not used significantly • Groups in need of particular attention include children, youths, and minorities | • Main focus is on victims and their families, including the bereaved • Groups in need of particular attention include children |
Content | • Disaster contingency is a continuation of the regular healthcare system: operations should be kept as normal as possible • Good planning, risk analysis, and training is central. Important tasks include the transmission of information to the public and involved actors • Basic care and practical help are more important in the emergency phase than therapeutic measures, with watchful waiting as a guiding principle. However, in the aftermath of the attacks a more proactive approach was selected | • Specific organization of the healthcare system in the emergency phase. Patients in need of continued care are to be directed into the regular healthcare system • Stronger focus on the organization of the healthcare system in the event of disaster than on the actual measures to be provided, but training of involved actors is central • Identifying and informing victims is stressed as important • Emergency care provided by specialized teams expected to follow state-of-the-art practices (although these practices are not necessarily specified) |