Migration and forced displacement are reshaping the globe today. More people are being displaced by conflicts and natural disasters than ever before, and climate change is playing a pivotal role as a contributing factor for migration and conflict.

While there is a growing literature regarding provision of care for migrants in hosting countries there is no evidence on the use of the surge capacity model to support preparedness, readiness, and response to migration crisis by local health services, or medical teams.

A scoping review with a narrative summary relevant to disaster medicine, looking at two major migration routes (Central/Eastern Mediterranean and South/Central America) was performed to determine if the surge capacity model has been applied by medical teams responding to migration crises, and how this has affected the adaptation of health services.

Preliminary analysis demonstrates variations on the use of the term “surge capacity”, and the imperative need to better define its application when preparing to or responding to any type of disaster, here specifically migration crisis. Thus far, there is no evidence on the use of the surge capacity model for the conformation of national/international medical teams when responding to this type of crises, and its relation to the adaptation of health services. This is particularly relevant, as the surge capacity model can support building and/or strengthening the capacity and capability of national and international medical teams.

There is an imperative need to design a conceptual framework based on the surge capacity model for the conformation of fit-for-purpose medical teams, that ensures preparedness, readiness, and appropriate response to migration crises guaranteeing adaptation of health services depending on context needs, and that defines skills and competencies of the responders. Additionally, this provides a conducive platform for operational research activities to foster evidence coming from the field.