292170
Emergency preparedness training and follow-up: Approaches to improve usefulness
The Veterans Administration's (VA) Office of Public Health (OPH) is committed to preparing for and responding to emergency events, including pandemic influenza outbreaks. In 2007, OPH oversaw the development and execution of comprehensive national pandemic flu tabletop exercises within VA healthcare facilities, regional (VISNs), and central office operations. As follow-up, exploration of how the tabletop After-Action-Reports (AARs) were used in continued planning and preparation for future emerging and outbreak events was conducted using systematic document review, survey, and semi-structured interviews. Survey response rate was 61%. Findings included the need for greater information dissemination after training; for greater process specificity; and that AAR activities can build internal and external relationships that support pandemic response, as demonstrated by the H1N1 response. This session will include a discussion of approaches consistent with enhanced AAR usefulness and pandemic preparedness as well as implications for future standards of practice of AAR purposing and practical follow-through.
Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Learning Objectives:
Describe the utility of an AAR and subsequent action items
Summarize a structured process of review and implementation of AAR action items
Discuss the continued value and roles of community relationships and inclusiveness in pandemic exercises and follow-ups
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the manager of the Infection, Don't Pass It On within the VA. I am also the project manager for the contract under which this work was prepared. I was one of the main developers of the Request for Proposal.
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.
