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Bioterror Preparedness
DigitalCare develops educational content including skill-building exercises such as simulations, drills and practice activities, and implements comprehensive planning and preparedness programs, including training sessions, practice drills and exercises, meetings and site surveys. Our areas of expertise include: Bio-terrorism; Disaster Preparedness; Health Department planning and logistics; Emergency Medical Services operations analysis; and Human Services planning and logistics.
DigitalCare’s bio-terrorism preparedness practice is built upon our evaluation and testing of the day-to-day practices that govern governmental and health care operations. Our work focuses upon improving jurisdictions' ability to respond to the possible release of one or more chemical, biological or radiological disease agent(s).
Our programs emphasize a coordinated, multidisciplinary response to bioterror events. We evaluate, test and develop specialized training programs regarding: leadership issues in emergency management, workforce competency, organizational capacity, situation surveillance, information systems operations, communication systems usage, interdisciplinary/interagency collaboration, event management protocols and surveillance/event identification protocols.
Bioterror Services
DigitalCare’s bioterrorism drills and emergency planning exercises can include the following methodologies, services and areas of focus that we have developed as a part of our work with governmental organizations and health care providers.
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Methodology/Service |
Description |
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Disaster Planning
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During an emergency, it is imperative that facilities and employees have been properly prepared for a bioterror event or other emergency. An organization must first identify all critical processes and plan for alternate methods of accomplishing these processes.
DigitalCare provides a full Impact Analysis that is designed to assess and rank the relative importance of specific processes within your organization in the event of an emergency. Based upon this assessment we will recommend specific backup and secondary process plans.
DigitalCare’s Impact Analysis includes the following steps: - Impact Interviews - Criticality Workshop - Process Criticality Spreadsheets and Data Crosswalks - Secondary Process Plans |
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Risk Analysis
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A risk assessment evaluates the significance of vulnerabilities in the context of your organization’s operating environment – specifically the operating environment necessary to respond to emergencies such as bioterror attacks.
DigitalCare’s process utilizes the National Institute for Standards in Technology (NIST) recommended risk analysis process.
DigitalCare uses the following steps to determine the risks associated with emergency scenarios: - Function Characterization - Threat Identification - Vulnerability Identification - Control Analysis - Likelihood Determination - Impact Analysis - Risk Determination |
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Agency Coordination |
During an actual bioterror incident, there will be a requirement for coordination of local, county, state and federal agencies. DigitalCare typically works with Emergency Operations Centers to Coordinate all relevant agencies to coordinate and participate in Bioterror drills.
These agencies typically include: · Local o City o Police o Fire and Emergency o Dispatch o Hospitals and Emergency Medical Providers o Local Epidemiologists o Volunteers o Hazmat · County o Office of Emergency Management o Emergency Medical Services o Health Department o Social Services o Department of Public Safety · State o Police o Office of Emergency Management o Department of Public Health o Department of Health and Human Services · Federal o Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) o Emergency Management Agency o Department of Health and Human Services o Centers for Disease Control o Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Management o National Guard o Coast Guard |
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Review of Policies, Procedures and Protocols |
DigitalCare can review your organization’s policies, procedures and protocols for Emergency Responders in Assessing Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response.
This review will identify: - Any missing elements - Best Practices in other organizations - Potential communication problems |
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Mass Casualty Scenario Drills |
DigitalCare designs and conducts mass casualty drills.
These events typically include one or a series of mass casualty events, such as the explosion of a dirty bomb at a crowded shopping mall or the dropping of a vial of anthrax on a populated downtown street.
These events can include any and all of the following elements: - Local First Responders - Local Emergency Medical Providers/ Hospitals/ Health Department - Emergency Operations Center - Public Health Laboratories |
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Gap Assessment Report |
A gap analysis compares current operations and precautions to the federal mandates, best practices and epidemiological guidelines.
DigitalCare, Inc. has extensive experience conducting Gap Assessments for public health emergency preparedness and response. After a bioterror drill, DigitalCare will assess and identify the processes that are currently working effectively versus the processes that require additional equipment, supplies or resources in order to function effectively. |