These guidebooks on emergency preparedness will help legal counsel and emergency planners identify key legal and operational issues arising in the event of a public health crisis, terrorist threat, environmental disaster or other emergency situation to facilitate a health care provider's emergency preparedness planning. The three guidebooks offer detailed analyses of the challenges presented by public health emergencies and provide practical solutions, making it possible for healthcare organizations to effectively respond to an emergency while continuing to serve their communities.
Community Pan-Flu Preparedness examines the critical legal and ethical issues involved in pandemic preparedness planning and response. It is a scalable tool designed to assist healthcare providers, public health agencies, and government officials in taking concrete steps to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic. This document was informed by AHLA's Pandemic and H5N1 Flu: A Prescription for Preparedness convener session that was co-sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently named AHLA’s as one of the top ten legal tools for emergency preparedness planning. The Checklist has been well-received by providers and was featured as a valuable new resource on a multitude of websites, listserves, and newsletters. The interest and recognition from these numerous organizations as well as individual providers reflects the demand for preparedness planning resources and the quality and comprehensive nature of our products.
Emergency Preparedness Response & Recovery Checklist: Beyond the Emergency Management Plan
The Checklist's core sections are organized around a series of questions that a healthcare facility should answer in preparing for or addressing an emergency. The range of issues is extensive and covers topics such as patient tracking and placement, healthcare personnel matters, vendor agreements, institutional insurance coverage as well as patient insurance coverage, the application of EMTALA requirements in emergency conditions, continuation of Internet and other information technology services, and securing disaster funding, to name a few. The Checklist recognizes that public health emergencies pose unique legal and operational issues that require close coordination and cooperation between public health agencies, healthcare organizations, and their respective legal counsel. Two appendices of resources were provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Public Health Law Program.
Lessons Learned from the Gulf Coast Hurricanes
A follow-up publication to the Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery Checklist this guidebook draws on the experiences of healthcare providers and community leaders who were involved in the immediate rebuilding efforts of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Furthermore, it is the product of additional insights gained from analyzing emergency situations and distilling "lessons learned" from devastating Gulf storms of 2005.