Debra Kreisberg1, Deborah S K Thomas2, Morgan Valley3, Shannon Newell4, Enessa Janes5, Charles Little6. 1. 1Department of Environmental and Occupational Health,Colorado School of Public Health;University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus,Aurora,ColoradoUSA. 2. 3Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences,University of Colorado Denver,Denver,ColoradoUSA. 3. 4Department of Psychology,Colorado State University,Fort Collins,ColoradoUSA. 4. 5Department of Surgery,VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System,Denver,ColoradoUSA. 5. 6Michael Baker International,Lakewood,ColoradoUSA. 6. 2Department of Emergency Medicine,University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus,Aurora,ColoradoUSA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: As attention to emergency preparedness becomes a critical element of health care facility operations planning, efforts to recognize and integrate the needs of vulnerable populations in a comprehensive manner have lagged. This not only results in decreased levels of equitable service, but also affects the functioning of the health care system in disasters. While this report emphasizes the United States context, the concepts and approaches apply beyond this setting. OBJECTIVE: This report: (1) describes a conceptual framework that provides a model for the inclusion of vulnerable populations into integrated health care and public health preparedness; and (2) applies this model to a pilot study. METHODS: The framework is derived from literature, hospital regulatory policy, and health care standards, laying out the communication and relational interfaces that must occur at the systems, organizational, and community levels for a successful multi-level health care systems response that is inclusive of diverse populations explicitly. The pilot study illustrates the application of key elements of the framework, using a four-pronged approach that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative methods for deriving information that can inform hospital and health facility preparedness planning. CONCLUSIONS: The conceptual framework and model, applied to a pilot project, guide expanded work that ultimately can result in methodologically robust approaches to comprehensively incorporating vulnerable populations into the fabric of hospital disaster preparedness at levels from local to national, thus supporting best practices for a community resilience approach to disaster preparedness.
INTRODUCTION: As attention to emergency preparedness becomes a critical element of health care facility operations planning, efforts to recognize and integrate the needs of vulnerable populations in a comprehensive manner have lagged. This not only results in decreased levels of equitable service, but also affects the functioning of the health care system in disasters. While this report emphasizes the United States context, the concepts and approaches apply beyond this setting. OBJECTIVE: This report: (1) describes a conceptual framework that provides a model for the inclusion of vulnerable populations into integrated health care and public health preparedness; and (2) applies this model to a pilot study. METHODS: The framework is derived from literature, hospital regulatory policy, and health care standards, laying out the communication and relational interfaces that must occur at the systems, organizational, and community levels for a successful multi-level health care systems response that is inclusive of diverse populations explicitly. The pilot study illustrates the application of key elements of the framework, using a four-pronged approach that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative methods for deriving information that can inform hospital and health facility preparedness planning. CONCLUSIONS: The conceptual framework and model, applied to a pilot project, guide expanded work that ultimately can result in methodologically robust approaches to comprehensively incorporating vulnerable populations into the fabric of hospital disaster preparedness at levels from local to national, thus supporting best practices for a community resilience approach to disaster preparedness.
Keywords:
CLAS culturally and linguistically appropriate services; ESF Emergency Support Function; NHSS National Health Security Strategy (United States); TJC The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (United States); delivery of health care; disasters; health facility planning; public health; vulnerable populations
Authors: Carmen Alvarez; Holly Sims; Kimesha Grant; Jessica Walczak; Paula Darby Lipman; Jill A Marsteller; Lisa A Cooper Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-03-11 Impact factor: 3.390