Nursing Homes in Public Health Emergencies: Special Need and Potential Roles. Focus Group Discussions of Disaster Planning at Nursing Homes

摘要

The events of September 11th and the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina demonstrate the impact of such events on the public health infrastructure and the importance of emergency preparedness activities. In addition, the reality of bioterrorism, as exemplified by the anthrax cases reported in the U.S., underscores the importance of preparing for possible bioterrorist attacks. To date, most health care preparedness planning efforts are focused on hospital and first responder preparedness. Nevertheless, we know that the elderly population is particularly vulnerable to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies due to their complex physical, medical and psychological needs. The potential role and question of preparedness on the part of nursing homes has emerged in local and national preparedness discussions. However, we have little understanding of the extent to which nursing homes have planned for and/or been incorporated into regional planning efforts (Saliba et al., 2004; Dosa et al., 2003; Helget et al., 2002). To address this issue, a series of focus groups were conducted to collect information about disaster and bioterrorism related planning activities among nursing homes in five States -- North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Utah -- and Southern California. The aims of the focus groups include: Determine if nursing home administrators have prepared and trained staff on disaster plans, including bioterrorism response Assess the special needs of the elderly population in nursing home settings during a public health emergency Determine if nursing homes are able to accommodate patient flows from acute care hospitals or provide other resources Assess the impact of State regulations on the ability of nursing homes to offer support and/or surge capacity.