Using estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and published models of the expected evolution of pandemic influenza, we modeled the surge capacity of healthcare facility and intensive care unit (ICU) requirements over time in northern Netherlands (approximately 1.7 million population). We compared the demands of various scenarios with estimat...

Construction in and around a working perioperative suite is a challenge beyond merely managing traffic patterns and maintaining the sterile field. The AORN "Recommended practices for a safe environment of care, part II" provides guidance on building design; movement of patients, personnel, supplies, and equipment; environmental controls; safety and security; and control of noise and distraction...

BACKGROUND In the United States (US), Medical Examiners and Coroners (ME/Cs) have the legal authority for the management of mass fatality incidents (MFI). Yet, preparedness and operational capabilities in this sector remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was twofold; first, to identify appropriate measures of preparedness, and second, to assess preparedness levels and factors signif...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this article is to provide an outcome evaluation model for preparedness of pharmaceutical services (PS) in disaster situations. METHODS A five-step evaluation model development was conducted. The first step was a search of disaster preparedness and PS literature. The second step consisted of a description of the political and organizational aspects, external context, impl...

Firms use inventory and interruption insurance to manage disruption risk in their production chains. They also take preparedness actions to reduce the expected length of disruptions. We analytically explore these three measures in a two-stage production chain. We find that inventory and preparedness differ in their responses to insurance and to production-chain cost and risk characteristics. We...

BACKGROUND We investigated the views of newly graduating physicians on their preparedness for postgraduate clinical training, and evaluated the relationship of preparedness with the educational environment and the pass rate on the National Medical Licensure Examination (NMLE). METHODS Data were obtained from 2429 PGY-1 physicians-in-training (response rate, 36%) using a mailed cross-sectional...

BACKGROUND Worldwide, disaster exposure and consequences are rising. Disaster risk in New Zealand is amplified by island geography, isolation, and ubiquitous natural hazards. Wellington, the capital city, has vital needs for evacuation preparedness and resilience to the devastating impacts and increasing uncertainties of earthquake and tsunami disasters. While poor quality of life (QoL) is wide...

INTRODUCTION This study examined disaster preparedness, risk perception, and their association in rural hospitals in the United States. The focus of disaster preparedness largely has been centered on urban areas, in part because of the perception that more concentrated areas have an increased risk of a disastrous event. Therefore, it was hypothesized that risk perception may be a contributing f...

OBJECTIVE 1. To conduct a review of the role of informatics in pediatric disaster preparedness using all medical databases. 2. To provide recommendations to improve pediatric disaster preparedness by the application of informatics. METHODS A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, CINHL and the Cochrane Library using the key words "children" AND "disaster preparedness and disaster" AND...