Emergency preparedness, response & recovery checklist: beyond the emergency management plan.

" This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. " —-from a declaration of the American Bar Association PREFACE The American Health Lawyers Association's (Health Lawyers) hopes that legal counsel will find Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery Checklist: Beyond the Emergency Management Plan (Checklist) to be a useful and practice tool in identifying the key legal and operational issues arising in the event of a public health crisis, terrorist threat, environmental disaster or other emergency situation; it is our hope that the Checklist will help facilitate a health care provider's emergency preparedness planning. Health Lawyers believes that healthcare executives, governing bodies, medical staff and other health professionals, and community leaders also will benefit from familiarizing themselves with the legal and operational issues that arise during emergency situations. Health Lawyers' Public Information Series is one of a variety of public interest activities that arise from the third element of the Association's mission statement, which pledges us ". .. to serve as a public resource on selected healthcare legal issues. " Health Lawyers' recently broadened its public interest role, which previously emphasized health policy related activities, to include activities through which the Association can serve as a public resource on health law issues for certain legal services agencies and other non-profit organizations. Many members contribute pro bono services in their communities and find that it provides a fulfilling outlet by allowing them to use their professional skills for the betterment of society. Broadening Health Lawyers' public resource outreach initiatives is consistent with the Association's desire to " give back " to society from our members' legal expertise. Health Lawyers plans to publish on a periodic basis informational resource guides related to health law topics in the public interest or on pro bono matters and to make these complimentary guides available to certain legal services organizations and other non-profit organizations. The Public Information Series is one of a number of activities conducted by Health Lawyers and the Public Interest Committee and is supported in part by generous donations from many Health Lawyers members, their firms and organizations. On behalf of the Public Interest Committee, I wish …