Emergency Preparedness Response: Building Infrastructure

Abstract

December 2007 33:6 hen you hear the phrase ‘‘surge capacity,’’ does it Wcause you to question, ‘‘How will we surge our capacity in the emergency department and hospital during a disaster or a pandemic when we are beyond capacity on any given day?’’ With hospital-based emergency care ‘‘at the breaking point,’’ according the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on the Future of Emergency Care in the U.S. Health System, there is cause for great concern in regard to our ability to create a surge in emergency care capacity during a time of disaster. In a study by Trust for America’s Health, it was noted that half of all states would run out of hospital beds in 2 weeks with a moderate pandemic. The ongoing nursing shortage and its impact on staffing add additional concerns regarding response capabilities. Strengthening the infrastructure and enhancing the coordination in our emergency care system is an important strategic goal that will not only help us address disaster preparedness and surge capacity concerns but will allow us to achieve the vision articulated in the IOM report for a ‘‘regionalized, coordinated and accountable emergency care system’’ available for access each and every day.