California hospitals are a critical element within the disaster
medical response system and work collaboratively with local
government, other health care providers and other agencies to
plan, prepare for and respond to the needs of victims of natural
or man-made disasters, bioterrorism, and other public health
emergencies. Hospital emergency preparedness is a priority for
government at all levels, as well as a key focus of regulatory
and accrediting agencies.
When extreme weather patterns emerge, hospitals must prepare for
many potential issues such as rolling blackouts from increased
power usage and patient surges in the ER. See resources
below to help prepare for these and other potential heat related
concerns.
Healthcare and Public Health Sector Critical Infrastructure
Security and Resilience Partnership has released a
Template For Healthcare Cybersecurity Incident Action Plan to
assist hospital CEO’s in creating a documented plan for recovery
from a cybersecurity incident.
Development and growth can stem from something seemingly
small, a major event, or even an accidental
discovery. H&HN delves into why a hospital may benefit
from embracing its history to model its future with the article
A Little-known Asset That Can Shape Your Hospital.
The 2017 release of the National Health Security
Preparedness Index reflects gradual improvement in state and
national progress related to preparing for disasters, disease
outbreaks and other emergencies that pose risks to health and
well-being. According to the index, national health security has
improved 6.3 percent since 2013. The current national score is
6.8 out of 10 on average, with higher scores reported for health
security surveillance (7.9) and incident and information
management (8.2) domains. California’s current
scores generally mirror the national rates, with an above
average rating on environmental and occupational health. Overall,
the index found large and persistent geographic disparities in
health security; that gains in health insurance coverage
strengthen health security in many states; and that participation
in health care preparedness coalitions by hospitals, public
health agencies and emergency agencies has trended upward since
2013.
Hospitals are reminded to share the ways in which they are using
the index through the Preparedness Innovator Challenge, a
competition to identify ways in which the index stimulates
communication, collaboration and action to improve health
security. For more information, visit http://nhspi.org/mobilizingaction/.
Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tom Price last week
issued a “Determination and Declaration Regarding Emergency Use
of Injectable Treatments for Nerve Agent or Certain Insecticide
(Organophosphorus and/or Carbamate) Poisoning,” authorizing
emergency use of injectable treatments for nerve agent or certain
weaponized insecticides.
Read full article here.
WHO is alarmed by serious reports of the use of highly toxic
chemicals in an attack in Khan Shaykhun, southern rural Idleb,
Syria.
Read full statement here.
