Wednesday, November 29, 2006, 2–3:30 p.m., EST

About the Program

This AHRQ-sponsored Web conference, by presenting an overview of the community planning guide, will provide planners at the institutional, State, and Federal levels with valuable insights and information that will help them plan for and respond to a Mass Casualty Event (MCE). Effective advance MCE planning also will help ensure the provision of the most appropriate standards of care possible under the circumstances. The Web conference will focus on the specific circumstances communities likely would face as a result of an MCE and the key principles and critical organizational structures to be incorporated into MCE planning.

More specifically, panelists will:

• Discuss the pressing issues that need to be addressed in terms of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the first responders in the case of an MCE. Highlights of specific issues that planners need to consider to maximize EMS response capacity will be presented, as will strategies and tools for successful EMS MCE planning.
• Present an overview of the recommended systems and processes for planning and implementing the allocation of scarce hospital and acute care resources during an MCE. Recommendations regarding the development of integrated and coordinated systems of response and ways to make the operational decisions for stretching and allocating scarce resources in the event of an MCE will be presented.
• Examine the different types of Alternative Care Sites that may need to be established during an MCE if hospitals and other traditional venues for health care services are rendered inoperable. The critical issues and decisions regarding the location, establishment, and operation of these sites will be examined.
• Address the overarching MCE planning issue of palliative care – how to provide optimal support for the dying, those facing life-limiting illness or injury, and those caring for them. Ways to integrate palliative care into all aspects of MCE planning and response activities will be discussed.
• Highlight the myriad challenges across the spectrum of health care and essential services that community planners will need to consider in having to allocate scarce resources as a result of a flu pandemic.

Intended Audience

This Web conference will be of value to a wide audience, including:

• State, local, and regional officials and policymakers responsible for making decisions or administering programs related to MCE planning and preparedness
• Preparedness planners developing strategies for mobilizing community resources to address the community needs in response to a public health emergency
• Emergency management services (EMS) and disaster preparedness officials
• Clinicians and health care systems administrators.