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Children are among the most vulnerable in a disaster event, yet their needs have been underrepresented in emergency preparedness planning. In New York City, no valid assessment of hospital pediatric resources has been conducted. This study aims to evaluate the distribution of pediatric resources, such as bed capacity, and surge capacity planning across all NYC boroughs in relation to the pediatric population.
Methods
Electronic surveys were distributed to 26 self-identified NYC Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) hospitals and 38 self-identified non-PICU hospitals. Surveys included questions about pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, pediatric emergency services and pediatric surge capacity planning. NYC pediatric population density estimates were determined using 2005 U.S. Census data. Hospital resources were tabulated and mapped using ArcMap.
Results
Manhattan has 41 PICU beds per 100,000 pediatric population and can surge to 67 beds per 100,000 pediatric population, in comparison to Brooklyn, which has the largest pediatric population, and only 7 PICU beds per 100,000 pediatric population, with surge capacity of 12 beds per 100,000 pediatric population. Only 22 hospitals surveyed (34%) have surge capacity plans that include pediatrics.
Conclusion
Pediatric resources are not distributed homogenously across NYC. Future planning should focus on the development of additional pediatric surge capacity and resource-sharing protocols.
Learning Objectives:
1. Evaluate the distribution of critical resources in relation to the population-in-need
2. Articulate 4 steps that can be taken to plan for surge capacity in an emergency event
3.Identify 4 items that contribute to the vulnerability of the pediatric population in medical emergencies
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: - Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, April 2007-present at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Disease, Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Program; serve as project manager and data analyst for the Pediatric Resource Emergency Preparedness Initiative
- Presented at the CDC's 11th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference on geographic disparities in access to NYC's Early Intervention Program
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.
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