Operation Minnesota Lifeline, Sept. 12, 2005

Dear colleague,
 
The University of Minnesota's Medical Reserve Corps is officially being deployed this week as part of Operation Minnesota Lifeline, with our first full cadre of physicians and nurses set to depart on Wednesday.
 
This has been a remarkable week that has drawn on the time and talents of many throughout the University community - and it is due to their work that we will join this effort requested by the Louisiana Department of Health in partnership with the American Refugee Committee.  Those of you familiar with the Minnesota-based American Refugee Committee will know that this organization normally serves sites around the globe suffering the impact of natural and man-made disaster.  However, their skills were quickly recognized by those working to recover in the Gulf region - and a team of their leaders were sent to Louisiana eight days ago.
 
That team knew of our well-positioned Medical Reserve Corps, and quickly assessed the need to reestablish basic health care services in the affected areas.  Our team joins health providers from Mayo Clinic and from the College of St. Catherine's to serve in Louisiana's Region 4 surrounding Lafayette.  On Saturday, I sent an advance team to the region, including the Medical School's Senior Associate Dean Charles Moldow, M.D. and David Golden, Boynton's Director of Public Health and New Programs.  Their assessment appears to confirm the basic health services need - a task our Medical Reserve Corps is well equipped to manage.
 
Therefore, we are sending the first team with 20 members on Wednesday for a two week deployment in the region.  That team will be rotated out, with new teams replacing every two weeks for up to sixty days. I recognize that this effort will disrupt schedules and create extra work for our clinical enterprise - and it remains the right thing to do. If you are interested in joining the University of Minnesota Medical Reserve Corps, go to http://www.ahc.umn.edu/outreach/epp/mrc.html
 
I'd like to formally thank our colleagues throughout the University for their ready offers for help:  the University's Fleet Services for providing two 15-seat vans for the 60 days of deployment; the U-Card office for quickly preparing badges for the staff we deploy; our Emergency Management colleagues for their assistance at the EOC this week; and our partners at Fairview for their quick offer of needed supplies for the health needs of the children of that region.
 
Frank B. Cerra, M.D.
Senior Vice President for Health Sciences
McKnight Presidential Leadership Chair