Planning Preparedness Guidance
For private physician practices and clinics, there are several ways you can help after a disaster in your community. First, you must make sure your regular patients can be cared for. History shows people who are injured in a disaster are most likely going to try to go to the doctor or clinic they know. After you have a plan for what to do about your regular patients, then you can think about how you can help the larger community.
Disproportionately Impacted Populations
In the event of an emergency certain populations are more likely to experience adverse outcomes than the general population. Due to the increased risk of adverse outcomes experienced by these populations it is important that healthcare providers support the emergency planning and preparedness activities of these individuals. Populations to consider include but are not limited to individuals that identify with or are experiencing any of the following:
- Limited access to transportation
- Low Economic Security
- Limited English Proficiency
- Physical/Cognitive Disabilities
- Pediatrics
- Pregnant Women
- Mental/Behavioral Health
- Older Adults
- Racial/Ethnic Minorities
- Rural or Frontier Communities
- Housing Insecure or Homeless
Prevalence of each potentially disproportionately impacted population varies from one service area to another. Identifying which populations are most affected in the area you serve and keeping a list of these populations will assist you with knowing when to discuss the following emergency preparedness considerations with your patients. Below is a list of resources that will assist you to identify these populations, understand population specific considerations, and locate disaster recovery services:
Resource | Description |
The Community Resilience Estimates (CRE) program provides an easily understood metric for how at-risk every county and neighborhood (census tract) in the United States is to the impacts of disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and pandemics such as COVID-19. | |
The Environmental Justice Index ranks the cumulative impacts of environmental injustice on health for every census tract. | |
Contains an interactive tool to allow you to explore historic federal disaster declarations by state, county, hazard, and year. | |
AirNow is your one-stop source for air quality data. | |
The Smart Location Database is a nationwide geographic data resource for measuring location efficiency. It includes more than 90 attributes summarizing characteristics such as housing density, diversity of land use, neighborhood design, destination accessibility, transit service, employment, and demographics. | |
This broadband health mapping platform enables data-driven decision making at the intersection of broadband and health. | |
Census data covers dozens of topics across 130+ surveys and programs. Get in the weeds with more than 2.5 million tables of raw data, maps, profiles, and more at data.census.gov — the Census Bureau’s premiere data dissemination platform. | |
CDC Disability and Health Emergency Preparedness Tools and Resources | Lists resources from several states which have available brochures, booklets, guides and other materials and tools that people with disabilities and their caregivers can use to prepare for an emergency. |
Identify industrial facilities in your community that release chemicals into the air, water, and land, or manage the waste through other methods. Learn what chemicals these facilities release, efforts to reduce releases, and potential health impacts associated with the chemical releases. | |
When a disaster occurs, local governments often work together with community leaders and organizations to provide on-the-ground emergency management. This site lists disaster recovery services. |
HIPAA Regulations
After a disaster, some HIPAA regulations may be relaxed in order to locate family members of displaced persons or to aid in the treatment of disaster victims.
Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism continues to be a threat to all communities in the United States. Sometimes bioterrorism attacks are announced by the perpetrators and sometimes they are not. You may be the first person to identify an unusual collection of symptoms in your patients. Many bioterrorism agents present initially with symptoms of influenza. Become familiar with the differential diagnosis for bioterrorism agents.
- Anthrax is caused by a spore-forming bacterium. It mainly affects animals. Humans can become infected through contact with an infected animal or by inhaling spores.
- The most likely form of plague for a terrorist to use is pneumonic plague.
- Naturally occurring smallpox has been eradicated but can now be manufactured in a laboratory. Servicemen being deployed overseas are being vaccinated against it.
- Tularemia has been reported in all U.S. states except Hawaii. It is typically found in small rodents and is mostly transmitted by tick and dear fly bites.
- Ricin is made from castor beans. There is no antidote for ricin.
- Current U.S. and international disease outbreaks being monitored by the CDC.
Requesting Medical Countermeasures (MCM) from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) for an Individual or Small-Scale Health Emergency.
Sometimes an isolated, time-critical incident, such as an individual patient with naturally occurring anthrax or botulism may occur, and the SNS is the only source for critical, life-saving medical countermeasures. Requests may come from a clinician contacting CDC for consultation or from a notification by a jurisdictional public health official. Regardless of how a request for assistance originates, federal agencies work closely together to ensure a streamlined process, especially in time-sensitive situations. Both the CDC and HHS Operation Centers are open 24/7.