Author Archive

Article Out Loud – Hospitals Must Prepare Now for Future Contingencies

Whether responding to mass casualties from a nuclear blast or an attack by a single “Lone Wolf” shooter, hospital preparedness requires careful planning, effective coordination, and collaboration in the sharing of critical resources. Inter-hospital cooperation and training will almost always result in a better outcome than would be possible through

Hospitals Must Prepare Now for Future Contingencies

Considering the financial constraints already in place, and the likelihood that there will be continuing reductions in federal grant funds for preparedness, the challenge facing U.S. hospitals and other healthcare facilities to do more with less has perhaps never been greater. More specifically, in preparedness planning and operations, very few

Healthcare Reform: Major Effects on Hospital Preparedness

No matter what the Supreme Court decides on the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act, U.S. hospitals must prepare now for major changes in their planning, everyday operations, and both budgetary and personnel resources. Many of those changes may be costly. Most will be time-consuming and/or difficult to implement. But

Joplin & Irene Force Changes in Hospital Evac Plans

Article Out Loud Significant changes in hospital emergency planning have taken place since and largely because of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hospitals, along with nursing homes, have had their safety and security requirements strengthened by regulatory and/or accreditation agencies to ensure that their emergency plans take into account how they

Hospitals & Fire Departments: Three-Alarm Fires, MSH & Best-Practice Results

A major fire in one of the nation’s finest hospitals led quickly to: (a) the massive evacuation of almost 450 patients; and (b) numerous follow-up meetings to find out what had gone wrong and how to handle such incidents more quickly, and more effectively, in the future. The end result

Hospital Emergency Departments – Infectious Diseases: The First Line of Defense

Very few Emergency Departments in U.S. hospitals can cope with a major outbreak of infectious diseases. But there is much that could & should be done before an outbreak occurs. Improved communications between and among all major medical facilities in the same geographic area should be the first priority, along

Hospital Emergency Planning: Hospitals Qualify as Critical Infrastructure

How does one define “critical”? Far too often in today’s interconnected world, that important designation is awarded retrospectively – i.e., after a terroristic attack or major weather disaster. A credible case can be made, though, that major hospitals and other healthcare facilities deserve that description because of their intrinsic value

Hospital Surge Capacity – A Moving Target

The emergency rooms of most U.S. hospitals are often overcrowded even on a supposedly “slow” day. A mass-casualty incident makes the situation exponentially worse, creating a simultaneous demand for additional space, a larger staff, and more medical supplies. The last resort is usually the use of an alternate-care site –

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Article Out Loud – Citizen Soldiers and American State Defense Forces

By JAMES P. HOWARD Ⅱ, An Article Out Loud from the Domestic Preparedness, September 06, 2023.Targeted-violent events threaten staff and students’ physical, psychological, and emotional well-being in public schools. However, the increasing frequency of these incidents raises concerns about the preparedness of incoming teachers and current staff to handle such

Article Out Loud – Bioterrorism – Could Smallpox Return?

Although smallpox was eradicated from its human population and reservoir, it is still in designated stockpiles controlled by two nations and possibly in other unknown locations. Learn about the possible threat and the need for greater preparedness and discussion.

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