Describe one evidence-based strategy for leading emergency preparedness.

One evidence-based strategy for leading emergency preparedness is characterized by the planning, training, and sensitization of events, which cannot be mitigated (Khan et al., 2018). The objective of this strategy is to ensure that people have the knowledge of what to expect during an emergency and how to react to the emergency in a way that will result in the lowest adverse consequences possible with regard to human life. Disaster preparedness plans have to be created to guide people on what to do, who to call, and where to go during an emergency. Also, this strategy calls for regular drills where people role-play an emergency situation to gauge how well they have grasped the basics of the defined emergency protocols. The strategy also entails the purchase of equipment that can be used during an emergency, in addition to the identification of possible vulnerabilities in a specific location to find ways of mitigating them.

Identify one evidence-based strategy for shaping healthcare system outcomes in disaster.

One evidence-based strategy for shaping healthcare system outcomes in a disaster is to create a policy that mandates the designation of disaster specialty hospitals, which can play the role of overseeing disaster care innovation and delivery (Toner, 2017). However, since it is expensive to facilitate good preparedness projects, this strategy can include a tiered preparedness system to ensure the initiative is cost-effective. Each community and each hospital will be expected to have a baseline preparedness level, which it has to adhere to at all times. Consequently, several communities and hospitals will operate under a disaster specialty hospital, which will manage and supervise each of them during disasters. Hence, the specialty hospital will ensure that once each of the standard institutions has reached its capacity to handle cases related to the disaster, all other cases will be diverted to it since it will have a larger capacity to handle them.

Examine the disaster risks for your local community. Identify two priority concerns. Describe the significance of these issues of concern.

Examining the disaster risks for my local community, there are two priority concerns. First, during disasters such as hurricanes, there is usually a rise in certain chronic and communicable diseases (Jafari et al., 2011). For instance, people are more likely to get waterborne diseases since drinking water supplies are usually contaminated. Also, people are at risk of getting illnesses such as tuberculosis when they crowd at community centers while waiting for aid or help. Second, during disasters, the healthcare centers are often overwhelmed by the high number of people in need of emergency help. The healthcare centers themselves are usually impacted by things like tornados with many equipment and supplies being destroyed. Also, there are workers who are caught up in the disaster and unable to offer any help to others.

These issues of concern are significant because they greatly limit how people receive healthcare services. A rise in the number of people needing care significantly strains the limited resources available for them. Also, bureaucracy prevents the federal government from being more effective in how it dispatches federal help to the local community (Iserson, 2020). This is why a disaster specialty hospital can be vital in guiding emergency response efforts during disasters since it can offer more resources to the local community without being constrained by the bureaucracy of the federal government.

Identify one professional organization active in emergency preparedness or disaster response. Describe the services provided.

One professional organization that is active in disaster response or emergency preparedness is the Red Cross. This is a non-profit humanitarian entity that offers disaster relief and emergency preparedness/assistance across the globe. It is mostly made up of volunteers who respond to more than 60 000 disasters annually (Red Cross, 2021). This organization offers various services. First, it offers emergency shelter, food, and clothing for people who have been rendered homeless by disasters. Second, it offers emergency healthcare services by providing first aid and ambulance services. Finally, it distributes financial aid to individuals that require help on a long-term basis.

References

Khan, Y., O’Sullivan, T., Brown, A., Tracey, S., Gibson, J., Généreux, M., … & Schwartz, B. (2018). Public health emergency preparedness: A framework to promote resilience. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 1-16.

Iserson, K. V. (2020). Augmenting the disaster healthcare workforce. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 21(3), 490.

Jafari, N., Shahsanai, A., Memarzadeh, M., & Loghmani, A. (2011). Prevention of communicable diseases after disaster: A review. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 16(7), 956.

Red Cross. (2021). Disaster relief. American Red Cross. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief.html

Toner, E. (2017). Healthcare preparedness: Saving lives. Health Security, 15(1), 8-11.