Question Hospital Procedures for Mutants

A recent discussion popped up, and I've had a few theories in mind at the time, and I thought it might be best to bring the discussion here where it might belong. At the very least I'd hope to stir up some theorizing and discussion on the topic. But the question that popped up mainly was...

How prepared are hospitals, in case of mutants coming in?

Of course, starting up, this is only my ideas and theories here, I've got no words over the canon, and if it's discussed in greater depth somewhere else, then I missed it and I apologize.

My original thought, is that the hospitals might not be used to mutants. They're so rare, and uncommon, they might just go with standard treatments, and adapt to new developments. But as someone pointed out, even rare diseases still have treatments and medicines stocked up for rare diseases. Mutants are known all around, so surely they would have some education and procedures on how to proceed. The issue with that though, is that although we have categorizations for mutants, every single individual isn't just different in personality, but biology may be widely different case by case.

The quick answer would be to have a specialist on call. Operating on mutants, as someone told me, would be like trying to operate on a whole different species. Best to leave it to those who are qualified for it.

But sometimes, time is of the essence, and a specialist might not be available on hand. You can't have someone available 24/7, or wait for them to travel 2-3 days while someone bleeds to death, because you can't get past through their TK field.

So how would a hospital deal with some many wide variety of mutants?

If I had to take a quick stab, the most obvious answer would be the MIDs. Just being able to tell a power set apart would be able to give someone a good idea what procedures to avoid, or what might be recommended. Maybe even have access to an MCO database for more precise information to help a diagnostic.

Information for example if it's face to use an MRI on an energizer.
Is this Devisor likely to drick out under certain medication?
Is this person's regen rating high enough to heal on their own? Do we stabilize them to let the regen finish it's work? And will the regen let them heal normally, or will be have to correct it?
Is this person's blood acidic?
Not to forget special allergies, like cold iron on a fae.

I'd even imagine, one of the advantages of being a local hero with a public base, would be the fact that your hospitals would have your specific file on hand, in case if you come in with an injury, maybe even specialized equipment and resources for your type of cases.

But what if the MID is unavailable? Or that it's an unregistered mutant who just awakened? Are there procedures for that? Do you operate like a normal baseline, just in case they are a normal baseline? Or woudl this be one of those cases where adapting to the situation is the best answer?

Any ideas on this?

"If you build it, they will come" heh heh heh.

Alright, so I don't think you're wrong here, but there is something you might be forgetting. The online response and presence. If certain information when dealing with mutants (such as case files with names redacted) are cross-referenced and posted on the internet (in much the same way certain rare cases are in our own reality) then anyone, let alone doctors, can gain access to them.

The main issue with hospital procedures for mutants is that they would be the same as the procedures for regular humans, at least to start. It isn't often a doctor will crack a patient open without knowing exactly what's wrong first, even in an ER.

For example, it isn't unheard of to pump blood packs into a patient to find out where they are hemorrhaging from before an emergency surgery - regardless of how the janitors hate the mess. In some cases ultrasound machines were used to determine the cause/location... and the patient went into surgery 30-40 minutes later.

Well, there is likely to be two types of arrangement - in a city, and outside it.

In the city, its likely one hospital is designated to handle mutant (or indeed powered) cases, in much the same way as there are specialised units for various illnesses and injuries. In the country, its more of a problem. There are likley designated centres, but the nearest one may be too far away.

The simple way to treat would be to have medical info on the MID card. A simple chip reader would tell the Doctor. Its not too insecure, as you need the card. Its a trade off of security for possibly life saving data, of course.

An online archive available to everyone, including the public? Yeah, that'd be... Pretty harsh. Kinda like having your weaknesses listed up for people to hack up, though I suppose H1 and such already have ways to get that information.

Still, surely there'd be some large guidelines to follow, and some kind of 'guidebook' to follow in some classifications. I suppose it's the juggle between security of information, and safety of a hospital.

... *shudder* You know, that'd be a pretty sick way to murder a mutant. Just modify their medical files slightly, and you have a disaster on your hands. "What do you mean, allergic to steel? Look what their files said on the database!" It'd be like a ticking time bomb. Just wait for the next checkup...

I suppose the fact that you need a proper diagnostic is truly important in any kind of medical operation, ER or otherwise. It does help a lot if the patient is conscious, of course. And if you can trust your instruments too.

Polk Kitsune wrote: An online archive available to everyone, including the public? Yeah, that'd be... Pretty harsh. Kinda like having your weaknesses listed up for people to hack up, though I suppose H1 and such already have ways to get that information.

Still, surely there'd be some large guidelines to follow, and some kind of 'guidebook' to follow in some classifications. I suppose it's the juggle between security of information, and safety of a hospital.

... *shudder* You know, that'd be a pretty sick way to murder a mutant. Just modify their medical files slightly, and you have a disaster on your hands. "What do you mean, allergic to steel? Look what their files said on the database!" It'd be like a ticking time bomb. Just wait for the next checkup...

I suppose the fact that you need a proper diagnostic is truly important in any kind of medical operation, ER or otherwise. It does help a lot if the patient is conscious, of course. And if you can trust your instruments too.

I'm not talking about an online archive with a name and everything. I'm talking about a case file. For example, if I want to track how many patients have been affected by a certain rare parasite fly larva that can and does burrow into the head of humans (yes, it's real) I can do that... I can find all known 7 cases, and track numbers on how many were fatal, as well as what treatments worked.

Names don't enter into it, nor do weaknesses - it's all about medical procedure. It happens now, here, and it's a resource designed specifically to save lives, with the same potential for abuse. If such things happen now, in our reality, I don't see any pressing issue in why they wouldn't go forward in WAU.

Nagrij wrote:

Polk Kitsune wrote: An online archive available to everyone, including the public? Yeah, that'd be... Pretty harsh. Kinda like having your weaknesses listed up for people to hack up, though I suppose H1 and such already have ways to get that information.

Still, surely there'd be some large guidelines to follow, and some kind of 'guidebook' to follow in some classifications. I suppose it's the juggle between security of information, and safety of a hospital.

... *shudder* You know, that'd be a pretty sick way to murder a mutant. Just modify their medical files slightly, and you have a disaster on your hands. "What do you mean, allergic to steel? Look what their files said on the database!" It'd be like a ticking time bomb. Just wait for the next checkup...

I suppose the fact that you need a proper diagnostic is truly important in any kind of medical operation, ER or otherwise. It does help a lot if the patient is conscious, of course. And if you can trust your instruments too.

I'm not talking about an online archive with a name and everything. I'm talking about a case file. For example, if I want to track how many patients have been affected by a certain rare parasite fly larva that can and does burrow into the head of humans (yes, it's real) I can do that... I can find all known 7 cases, and track numbers on how many were fatal, as well as what treatments worked.

Names don't enter into it, nor do weaknesses - it's all about medical procedure. It happens now, here, and it's a resource designed specifically to save lives, with the same potential for abuse. If such things happen now, in our reality, I don't see any pressing issue in why they wouldn't go forward in WAU.

To elaborate further with a Whateley example
With Sidhe type mutants, a directory stating their allergy response to synthetics would have each recorded case where hospitalization was required or the situation occurred in a hospital.
Patient 123, would be listed as having a light allergy to synthetics that required a basic over the counter anti-itch cream and all cotton sheets and gown.
Patient 66, on the other hand required full immersion in all natural spring water in a wooden bath that contained no nails, screws or stains, and could only wear silk gowns washed by pure maidens under the light of the new moon in a mountain stream, contact with said maidens was made by contacting such and such a person.

Doctors would look this up see the two extreme versions and the majority who were somewhere between these two extremes and react accordingly.

It might help to consider how hospitals already handle persons with special considerations. For example, are there special procedures for people with communicable diseases (HIV, Hep C, MRSA)? How are allergies indicated (medic-alert bracelets)? How does an ER determine if someone works in a machine shop before putting them through an MRI (seriously, who wants small shards of metal ripped from their body at high speeds)?

I think if we can nail down what we currently know we can extrapolate for the more esoteric mutants.

Polk Kitsune wrote: Information for example if it's face to use an MRI on an energizer.
Is this Devisor likely to drick out under certain medication?
Is this person's regen rating high enough to heal on their own? Do we stabilize them to let the regen finish it's work? And will the regen let them heal normally, or will be have to correct it?
Is this person's blood acidic?
Not to forget special allergies, like cold iron on a fae.

My impressions:

A number of "powers" are said to be keyed to the earth's magnetic field, extra dimensions, and nature/natural energies. Chances are good that the hospital staff would still be using x-rays anyway (some of the exotic energizers may show up quickly and safely on the exposures). "Mutant" status may be yet another reason to prefer CT scans.

A smart devisor (among others) might have their medications and allergies listed via MedicAlert or equivalent. Some medications that RL non-mutants take do NOT play well with standard meds. For example, MAOIs mix poorly with darn near everything. But if the patient is dricking out, a record entry is redundant. Otherwise, they're either conscious and able to warn staff, or unconscious and not a problem, yet.

Regen may work better if at least all the pieces' parts are lined up? Unless a doctor sees a limb regrowing itself, they'll likely still want to stabilize, operate, log some hours for billing. Post-op care and *feeding* may be a challenge.

Acidic blood. The staff are going to be wearing gloves and other protective gear (for their safety AND the patients'), and both PVC and latex are pretty good against a number of acids. The bad news will probably come from the lab trying to get a cross and match.

Some special allergies have been put into the "Weak vs" entry of MIDs shown so far.

Okay, that does make more sense. The list would likely be very limited, considering all the variants of mutants, but the same could be said for rare diseases. And if lists are made in that fashion, they sound remarkably detailed, and it would very likely educate on a very possible end result... Be it good or bad. It'd be an interesting list to read, I'm sure.

Medic-alert bracelets might be replaced by the MID card, really... Though a bracelet of some kind might be much harder to lose and misplace.

Sounds like there's a lot of procedures involved in the real-world medical field I just don't know about.

Let's look at the case of Knockoff. Marty was very badly injured (at that point, he had not manifested) - and his mom was the only compatible blood source in the area. The clinic doctor (a rather remote clinic at that) knew the procedures and regs dealing with regen blood - enough to specifically ask Setup about her mutant status and traits.

After over 40 years of mutants (first class at Whately in '64), word would have gotten around in the medical world about mutants and the COMMON treatment complications and issues. Rare ones - like perhaps Puppet - not so much.

MCO? Would be good at that, except most of them are anti-mutant ass-hats, as Kristin noted.

So - common traits - by Gen 1, probably taught in med school. Rare ones? MCO SHOULD be the clearinghouse.

A fairly good rule of thumb would be consider the regions level I and I I trauma centers to be up-to-date with all the mutant possibilities, training in dealing with mutant injuries biohazard containment possibly even a mutant specialist.

As the medical facilities come down the trauma center chart they will have less and less ability and knowledge, however the entire medical community is aware of mutation and even an out-of-the-way clinic clinic will have basic medical care knowledge.

Trauma Center Levels

Domoviye wrote: Patient 66, on the other hand required full immersion in all natural spring water in a wooden bath that contained no nails, screws or stains, and could only wear silk gowns washed by pure maidens under the light of the new moon in a mountain stream, contact with said maidens was made by contacting such and such a person.

What do you mean that's not normal for a bath?

Also remember that even Whateley, both in the labs, and hospital have run into the "what do we do now?" scenarios.