Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officials said the agency has selected Emory University to lead the latest Regional Disaster Health Response System site.
HHS noted Emory University is the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s (ASPR) fourth site selected to demonstrate effectiveness and viability of a regional healthcare response approach to disasters.
“In past public health emergencies or natural disasters, we have witnessed thousands of people requiring immediate medical specialty care, and that surge can surpass local capacity and capability,” HHS Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell said. “These regional demonstration sites have shown a return on investment, improving patient outcomes and reducing strain on healthcare staffs at individual facilities.”
HHS indicated the prior demonstration venues are located at Massachusetts General Hospital, Nebraska Medical Center and Denver Health and Hospital Authority.
Per authorities, those sites have integrated local medical response with emergency medical services, burn centers, pediatric hospitals, labs and outpatient services to meet health care needs created by disasters. Further, the regional sites collaborated, facilitated information exchanges and developed resources resulting in the coordination of health care assets.
Each of the four regional recipients are slated to create a disaster health partnership response to support clinical specialty care, according to HHS. They will also formulate plans, policies and procedures resulting in clinical excellence amid disasters; increase statewide and regional medical surge capacity; improve state and regional situational awareness; and develop metrics and testing regional system capabilities.