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Via CIDRAP, with Lisa Schnirring's fine reporting, we get details on the recently released GAO (Government Accountability Office) assessment on how well states have prepared to handle a medical surge from an event such as a terrorist attack or an influenza pandemic.
This is only a snippet, follow the link to read the entire article.
GAO reports progress, pitfalls in state medical surge planning
Lisa Schnirring
Staff Writer
Jul 14, 2008 (CIDRAP News) – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a status report yesterday on progress states have made toward preparing for a flood of people needing medical care in the wake of an event such as a terrorist attack or an influenza pandemic.
The 59-page report, requested by various US Senate and House members, looked at four main components of medical "surge" readiness: increasing hospital capacity, pinpointing alternative care sites, enlisting medical volunteers, and planning for altered standards of care. The GAO also examined how federal departments have helped states make medical surge preparations, as well as what states have done for themselves. Lastly, investigators asked states what concerns they have about their medical surge planning.
From 2002 to 2007 the federal government awarded states about $2.2 billion in medical preparedness funds through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Hospital Preparedness Program, the GAO said in the report. Federal agencies have also issued several preparedness guidance documents for states, such as a game plan for reopening shuttered hospitals.
Nongovernmental groups have also played an important role in issuing medical surge capacity guidance. In May, an expert task force issued a series of reports that took stock of current capabilities and recommended a framework for distributing care to as many patients as possible.
The GAO report may be downloaded HERE.
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