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Christopher M. Cannon, MSN, MPH, MBA, Office of Emergency Preparedness, Yale New Haven Health System, 1 Church Street, 5th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, 203-688-3229, christopher.cannon@ynhh.org
As the Center of Excellence for Emergency and Terrorism Preparedness for the State of Connecticut, Yale New Haven Health System has been charged by the Connecticut Department of Public Health with the development of a statewide Emergency Credentialing System (ECS) which will allow for the emergency privileging of healthcare practitioners in the event of a bioterrorist or other public health event. In such a situation, additional healthcare personnel would be needed to supplement the existing hospital staff and provide bed surge capacity
In a disaster with casualty survivors, there will be a critical need to deploy additional staff rapidly. The ECS program has implemented a program for credentialed clinical providers (physicians, APRNs, nurses, physician assistants, laboratory staff, pharmacists, respiratory care professionals, and behavioral health practitioners) who can be called upon during a disaster event. The ECS provides hospitals and the State of Connecticut with secure access to pre-credentialed clinical providers who would be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. State legislation has been passed to provide liability and workers compensation protection to ECS volunteers in a declared emergency as a part of the State’s Medical Reserve Corps.
Supplementing existing hospital staff from other hospitals and healthcare facilities and the community is an effective way to enhance surge capacity and provide patient care. The Yale New Haven Health System is working closely with the State Department of Public Health, JCAHO and numerous professional organizations to develop and implement this system. .
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the learner will be able to
Keywords: Disasters, Workforce
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.