Leveraging Local and Regional Partners to Implement Hospital Closed Point of Dispensing Sites

Abstract

Background: Point of dispensing (POD) sites are critical to local public health agencies (LPHA) when an emergen-cy occurs requiring medications or vaccinations. Delivering medical countermeasures (MCM) ensures community support mechanisms and the general public are provided with a pharmaceutical intervention to limit untoward outcomes caused by the emergency. While LPHAs are required to have an MCM response plan, these plans vary based on jurisdictional size and geographical location in Ohio. This study evaluated the implementation potential of an MCM toolkit developed for LPHAs and hospitals across Ohio. Methods: An MCM toolkit was created consisting of planning resources, training modules, sample exercises, and custom graphics. The toolkit was evaluated using Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research constructs by public health, hospital, hospital association, and emergency management professionals across Ohio by an electronic sur-vey and phone interview. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to determine overall implementation potential. Results: Thirty-eight (n=38) respondents with jurisdictional influence over 44 Ohio counties participated. Electronic survey results demonstrated high implementation potential for the MCM toolkit (weighted average 4.71/5.00). Phone interviews highlighted: (1) jurisdictional and regionalized planning approaches were necessary for MCM delivery, and (2) hospitals should function as closed POD sites for jurisdictional LPHAs. Conclusion: This work demonstrates the importance of MCM response planning for LPHAs and hospitals. Imple-mentation and planning materials for this work could be adopted into practice by LPHAs and hospitals across the United States to further assist in emergency preparedness planning.