Council to Deploy First Area-wide Inclusive Preparedness System

The Healthcare Council spent the better part of 2008 developing multiple programs to take the entire region to the next level of preparedness. Nobody knows better than the Council the difficulties our members experience in these trying times. The Council focuses on grant submissions with the idea of minimal or no “out-of-pocket” cost to area providers.

Now it’s 2009 and we’re in the throes of a potential pandemic. A this writing, we’re but one notch (Phase 6) from the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a pandemic. A Phase 5 is a “strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and the time to finalize the organizations, communication and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.”

Stockpiled supplies have been released from CDC to all 50 states. The federal government and manufacturers have begun to develop a vaccine against this new virus.

Although a serious threat, it seems this A/H1N1 strain is not particularly virulent. It has shown a propensity to mutate rapidly. The real problem may be the 2010 flu season! With this in mind, the Council along with its partner, HealthPathways/Intelaform, is seriously considering the deployment of HealthNet Screen™. This program is a medical diagnostic and situation awareness tool for pandemic awareness and emergencry response. It can:

• Assess victims to determine chemical, biological or nuclear agent exposure.
• Provide instantaneous access via PDAs pocket PCs, tablets, notebooks and internet-based cell phones.
• Provide real time data on crucial next steps

HealthNet Screen™ provides public health officials and first responders with the response protocols previously developed as well as the ability to distribute custom local and communication protocols. HealthNet Screen™ supports fatality management reporting protocols and provides patient and transport tracking capabilities for hospital evacuation efforts. Credentialing programs may be layered in for secured site requirements.