Emergency Planning and Preparedness Howard W Levitin M

Emergency Planning and Preparedness Howard W. Levitin, M. D. , FACEP Emergency Physician and Consultant Disaster Planning International Sue Losch Skidmore, R. N. , B. S. N. Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Phase One Findings 4 Readiness efforts occurring independently 4 No nationally accepted measures of preparedness – Staffing – Treatment capacity – Stockpiling of resources – Communications – Security – Mass Prophylaxis & vaccination – Bed utilization – Emergency department overcrowding – Emergency medical services 4 Administrative support is key to readiness

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Phase Two 4 The first questionnaire was revised to include: – issues related to regional health care facilities/systems bioterrorism preparedness – objective measures that users need to interpret the results of the questionnaire – best practices

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Historically 4 No evidence that the data gathered predicts preparedness 4 No established measures of bioterrorism preparedness 4 No generally accepted scenario to base preparedness 4 Most assessment tools have not been evaluated for validity 4 Most assessment tools have not obtained national buy-in

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Validity 4 Pooled 12 of the leading assessment tools 4 Each question rated by expert panel on relevance/pertinence 4 Working group reviewed all findings JCAHO MD Department of Health & Mental Hygiene NJ Department of Health & Senior Services Baltimore City Health Department Inova Health System Battelle University of Texas Booz Allen Hamilton DC Hospital Association Disaster Planning International Delaware Division of Public Health University of Maryland PA Department of Public Health University of West Virginia IL Department of Public Health Emory University Vanderbilt University 4 Utilized the expertise of The Myers Group – a national survey & market research firm

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Design Criteria 4 Issues under the direct responsibility &control of hospital leadership 4 Unique response requirements of a bioterrorism event only 4 Regional issues that only involve hospital participation & roles 4 Questions will be designed for benchmarking purposes 4 Must be relevant to preparedness & capacity 4 Each question must be tied to objective measures of readiness

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Focus 4 Regional linkages 4 Bioterrorism planning & structure 4 Training & exercise 4 Triage, diagnosis & treatment 4 Infection control, decontamination & isolation 4 Public health surveillance 4 Surge capacity & space utilization 4 Laboratory 4 Pharmacy & mass immunization 4 Safety & psych support 4 Information systems 4 Public relations

Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Questionnaire: Readiness 4 Standardize definitions of preparedness & capacity 4 Peer-reviewed readiness milestones will be developed 4 The ability to benchmark readiness & measure readiness progress 4 Data gathered can be used to model readiness 4 Developing a national standard creates allows for research

For more information about the first phase of the AHRQ-sponsored project and a copy of the original questionnaire, "Bioterrorism Emergency Planning and Preparedness Questionnaire for Healthcare Facilities, " please visit http: //archive. ahrq. gov/research/sep 02/0902 r a 23. htm