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Assessing Hospital and Health System Preparedness and Response

Assessing Hospital and Health System Preparedness and Response. Robert G. Harmon, MD, MPH Vice-President and National Medical Director for Optum/United Health Group Chair of the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) Subcommittee on Prevention & Public Health.

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Assessing Hospital and Health System Preparedness and Response

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  1. Assessing Hospital and HealthSystem Preparedness and Response Robert G. Harmon, MD, MPH Vice-President and National Medical Director for Optum/United Health Group Chair of the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) Subcommittee on Prevention & Public Health

  2. The Role of Health Plans in Addressing Bioterrorism • Early Detection & Surveillance • Response to Events • Outreach to Community Stakeholders

  3. Early Detection & Surveillance • Unique capacity to identify sentinel events & illness clusters • Automated outpatient systems and nurse call lines for early identification of symptom patterns • Real-time ambulatory & patient diagnosis/chief-complaint data identifying unusual illness clusters • Electronic dissemination to public health authorities

  4. Response to Events • Unique capacity for accurate & timely information to providers and consumers • Two-way communication via nurse call lines, behavioral health call centers and case managers • E-mail, faxes, newsletters and mailings to employer groups, providers and consumers • Alerts to providers for CME training opportunities

  5. Outreach to Community Stakeholders • Collaboration with local public health, police, fire and EMS officials • Direct communication with Governors and State emergency planning offices • Development of emergency preparedness planning templates and checklists with scenario training

  6. Efforts to Develop Health Plan Bioterrorism Readiness • Individual plans engaged with local public health officials • Understanding public health resources and needs • Communicating health plan resources and capacities • National Engagement • AAHP Board of Directors task force • Coordination with Federal government agencies • Developed a health plan readiness checklist • Flow of information to health plans and physicians

  7. Lessons Learned From 9/11 and the October Anthrax Exposures • Back-up operations to support health plan members • Employee assistance programs • Behavioral support-critical incident stress management • Health plan physicians, nurses, social workers, mental health specialists mobilized • Communications and IT support

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