Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
15 The Role of Pharmacy in
Emergency Preparedness
ROBERT S. GUYNN
The United States currently faces an
environment rife with challenges to our interests
and security. Unlike the nuclear threat of the cold
war, the threat of foreign and domestic terrorism
has visited upon us repeated insults resulting
in well-documented death and destruction [1].
While terrorism perpetrated against the US in
foreign lands is largely the province of the
State Department, Pentagon and Federal law
enforcement and intelligence agencies, preparing
for terrorism on US turf requires the additional
and concerted efforts of other Federal, State, local
government, private health care, and emergency
response agencies. It is at the regional, state,
and local levels where the pharmacy practitioner
community can and must step up and make
significant contributions to the public welfare.
When one considers the impact of a chemical or
biological attack on this nation, it is clear that
the most definitive response involves, fundamen-
tally, a mass dispensing or vaccination problem.
Pharmacy practitioners are key players in both
activities.
Among the challenges facing hospital pharmacy
directors engaged in the continued provision of
pharmacy services during a public health emer-
gency are the continued operation of systems,
supply channels, and personnel. Planning and
preparation hold the best promise for successful
crisis management [2]. Directors can consult guid-
ance documents provided by such organizations as
the American Society of Heath System Pharma-
cists (ASHP) [3] and the CDC as a starting point
[4] and then proceed to:
Consult with the institution's public safety
coordinator and local health authorities to deter-
mine the local history of, and planning for,
natural and manmade disasters as well as
their plans for potential terrorist attacks with
weapons of mass destruction (WMD),
•
Conduct a review of the hospital's disaster plan-
ning documents to reveal the administration's
currently defined pharmacy responsibilities and
suggest modifications as necessary,
•
•
Assess vulnerabilities to critical operational
systems including communications, suppliers,
distribution channels, drug information, and
automated systems (dispensing, compounding
and health care information systems), and
develop backups (and backups for the backups)
when appropriate,
Review, update and test contact lists for
staff members and establish lists of household
members,
•
Look outside the four walls of the hospital
to suppliers, state/national professional asso-
ciations (hospital and pharmacy), and public
health planning authorities (state and local),
to determine resource availability and extra-
institutional roles and obligations.
•
Among the topics to be explored at this point,
include: stockpile requirements, staff support,
emergency personnel augmentation, mutual aide,
and re-supply. All of these systems and their
backups need to be updated and reviewed with
applicable staff periodically. Additionally, system
backups need to be posted in the department's
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