Disaster Preparedness and Medical Home

Disasters are unpredictable and can cause loss of life, destruction of property, and disruption of business operations and daily routines. Pediatricians face special concerns including the complexity of disaster planning in addressing the individual needs of children (especially those with special needs) and their families, as well as the preparedness needed for the office in general (facility and staff). Much like the importance of developing individual care plans as part of an effective medical home, a working emergency plan put in place for the facility and for each patient/family can help practices reduce risks, maintain practice operations, and ensure the continuity of care in a medical home for all children.

The AAP Children and Disasters Web site provides readily available tools and resources to help health care professionals, families, communities, and chapters improve day-to-day pediatric emergency readiness:

• Join In on Preparedness Efforts
• Communicate/Train
• Sign Up to Volunteer in Advance
• Support Hospital Preparedness
• Organize AAP Chapter Preparedness Initiatives

The AAP Children and Disasters site offers a plethora of resources including but not limited to:

• Children & Disasters Newsletters
  The AAP Disaster Preparedness Advisory Council offers a progress report, which is sent by e-mail to members of the Disaster Preparedness Contact Network on a quarterly basis.
• Guidelines for Care of Children in the Emergency Department
  A joint policy statement crafted by the AAP Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians Pediatric Committee, and the Emergency Nurses Association Pediatric Committee.
• Disaster Preparedness State Initiatives Web Page
  Refer to the chapter initiatives for each state/region for ideas. This page features a clickable map where visitors can learn about AAP disaster preparedness contacts and initiatives.
• Pediatric Patient Safety in the Emergency Department
  A new resource developed by the AAP and Joint Commission, this CD-ROM and handbook features practical strategies and advice on how to create a safe, effective pediatric friendly emergency department. Available for purchase through the AAP Bookstore.
• Disaster Preparedness for Pediatric Practices: An Online Tool
  Practice Management Online (AAP Members Only)
• The Youngest Victims: Disaster Preparedness to Meet Children's Needs
  This fact sheet highlights the unique needs of children in disaster situations and frames this information for those who do not have pediatric knowledge or training.

Additionally, the National Center for Medical Home Implementation has several resources available to help families prepare for a disaster.

• Building a Care Notebook
• Emergency Plan
  A specialized form that can be printed out from the AAP/MCHB Building Your Medical Home toolkit
• Emergency Information Form (EIF) for Children with Special Needs
  The AAP and American College of Emergency Physicians' EIF provides a link to the child's Medical Home and pediatric subspecialists with advice for first steps to emergency treatment. The revised joint policy statement includes an updated version of the EIF. Also see printed and customizable versions of the form.

Emergency preparedness should be exercised at all levels. A written preparedness plan can help reduce risks and ensure a medical home for all children. The AAP Children and Disasters Web site has resources available for key audiences to help them understand their role in preparing for the even of a disaster:

• Pediatricians and Pediatric Health Care Providers (The Medical Home Care Team)
  Examples highlighted on this page of what Pediatricians and Pediatric Health Care Providers can do:
  • Be able to discuss and share basic information on disasters with families, child advocates, community representatives, and health professionals.
  • Become aware of disasters that might happen in your community or state. Visit the FEMA Web site for more information.
  • Connect with your state or county health department or your local chamber of commerce to support and enhance plans that are already in place
  • Working with patients and families to create a disaster plan. (See Resources section for more information.) Work with families to share this disaster plan with others in the medical home team, schools, child care providers.
  • Additionally, pediatricians can:
    • Learn more about ways to help children understand what is happening during a disaster and cope with loss or bereavement issues
    • Prepare, regularly update, and conduct drills of an office disaster plan
    • Coordinated with local hospital representatives and community emergency response planners
    • Understand the role of their office within the context of the community's disaster plan
• Families
  Examples highlighted on this page of what Parents can do:
• Review and share basic information on disasters.
• Create a personal and/or family disaster plan. (See Resources section for more information.) Share this disaster plan with health care providers, others in the medical home team, schools, child care providers.
• Collaborate with your child's physician and other medical home partners to develop comprehensive care plans for children with special health care needs (ie, the Medical Information Plan, Emergency Plan, and Working [Action] Care Plan). Access the Comprehensive Care Planning Packet .
• Child Care Providers
  Materials highlighted on this page that child care providers can share with parents:
• Ask Your Child Care Program: What's the Plan (NACCRRA)
• Helping Families and Children Cope With Traumatic Events (NACCRRA)
• Preparing Child Care Centers for a Pandemic Influenza
• Policymakers
  This page include resources for policymakers such as:
• Testimony
• Comments, Correspondence, and Positions
• Legislation Supported by the AAP
• Policies and Resources
• Schools
  AAP policies highlighted on this page include:
• Disaster Planning for Schools
  Intended to stimulate awareness of the disaster-preparedness process in schools as a part of a global, community-wide preparedness plan. Pediatricians, other health care professionals, first responders, public health officials, the media, school nurses, school staff, and parents all need to be unified in their efforts to support schools in the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from a disaster.
• Medical Emergencies Occurring at School
  The goal of this statement is to increase pediatricians' awareness of schools' roles in preparing for individual student emergencies and to provide recommendations for primary care and school physicians on how to assist and support school personnel.