Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Hospital pharmacy directors and managers need to
be mindful of the broader role of pharmacy beyond
thewallsof their institution, since thebulkof prophy-
laxis and/or vaccination will occur in distributed
“points of dispensing” (POD's). The “textbook”
POD [5] has been defined by the CDC as serving up
to 50,000 citizens and is located away fromhospitals
in distributed community venues, typically schools,
health clinics, civic centers, fire stations, etc.
15.2 Staffing Concerns in a Crisis
The greatest challenge to health care workers and
public safety personnel in the face of a public health
emergency will be one of balance. Such events
have the potential to be “up close and personal,”
profoundly affecting our families, friends, neigh-
bors, and community. Hospitals and emergency
response resources will be stretched, requiring the
full commitment of their staffs. Personnel will be
torn between their jobs, families, and community
responsibilities. Community leaders, public health
planners, and hospital administrators (and pharmacy
directors) need to engage in some serious plan-
ning [1] to ensure the presence and effectiveness
of first responders, hospital staff members, public
health personnel, and other community emergency
response personnel in the face of such emergencies.
Expectations, training and family care are neces-
sary elements of such planning and preparation.
As previously discussed, local stockpile provi-
sions need to be established with household/family
considerations included. The workforce needs to
be informed of such provisions.
The need for emergency staff augmentation will
vary significantly with the scenario. Most state
legislatures have already taken steps to suspend
state licensure requirements in the face of a
declared public health emergency. Connecticut's
act is representative and has a provision for volun-
teers who are: “appropriately licensed, certified
or registered in another state or territory of the
United States or the District of Columbia, to
render temporary assistance within the scope of the
profession for which a person is licensed, certi-
fied or registered, in managing a public health
emergency in this state” [3]. Hospital pharmacy
Figure 15.3
Portion of the SNS being delivered.
antibiotics and controlled drugs are primarily
used in the institutional setting.
VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) [3]:
Ongoing shipments of pharmaceuticals and
medical supplies that are focused to the threat
which is designed to begin arrival 36 hours after
the public health emergency declaration.
•
Chempak [4]: Chemical agent antidotes pre-
positioned at the local level and a component
of the 12 hour push pack.
•
Additional automated drug packaging equip-
ment in two containers shipped only when
determined necessary (Figure 15.4).
•
Figure 15.4
Automated drug packaging machine.
