| HPP Grant Guidance Analysis and SES solutions matrix |
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Louisiana Awards State-Wide Contract SES to conduct specialized training and exercises |
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Exercise Program for Pandemic Influenza (PART 1 of 3)
Introduction
A comprehensive state and local exercise program has been developed by Dr, Scott Lillibridge, Director for the National Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response Center at Texas A&M Health Science Center. These services meet the recent Pandemic and All Hazard Preparedness Act (PAHPA) mandates that emphasize training and exercises. They also compliment Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) investments related to planning, enhanced disease tracking and stockpile services. The exercises are conducted by Simulation Education Services (SES).
SES is a privately held company chartered in Texas that focuses on simulation exercises and training for the health sector. SES has affiliations that include Texas A&M University Health Science Center and is partly owned by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
This exercise program moves the participant or organization from general preparedness to the development of specific knowledge and skills related to the management of a public health and medical emergencies related to a pandemic influenza outbreak. In addition, specialized sessions are available to target the nursing staff, health care administrators, and disease control personnel.
This exercise program is organized into 8 separate 2-Hour "desktop" exercises that begin with participation in a general Pandemic Influenza exercise that is applicable to all participants in hospital, health care facility, or public health settings. This exercise set is designed to bring the major emergency response partners together at the community or regional level. The exercise program also satisfies certain Joint Commission disaster exercise requirements while providing continued education credits for selected participants. Such exercises can be managed without the disruption of public health or clinical services.
Desktop Exercises combine elements of facilitated "tabletop" with elements of functional exercises using distance education technologies and telecommunications. Participants do not have to leave their location of operations.
Key Pandemic Influenza Exercise Program Elements
| Session I: General Overview of Pandemic Influenza Preparedness |
| Session II: Managing Patient Surge/Patient Influx |
| Session III: Crisis Communications in Epidemics |
| Session IV: SNS - Stockpile Dissemination and Mass Vaccination |
| Session V: Administrative Issues Related to Pandemic Influenza |
| Session VI: Infection Control in Health Care Facilities |
| Session VII: "Just for Nurses" |
| Session VIII: "Just for Epidemiologists" and other Disease Control Personnel |
Specific Program Descriptions :
Session 1- General Overview of Pandemic Influenza Preparedness
The Pandemic Influenza Preparedness - General Overview session is designed to bring together the major stakeholders involved in a pandemic influenza outbreak. Public health agencies, hospitals and other health care facilities are the targets of this training/exercise/assessment service. However, this exercise can be expanded to include representatives from law enforcement agencies, elected officials, and emergency managementand homeland security personnel. All sessions are competency based and include an instructive After Action Report (AAR) for the sponsoring organization. The exercise design complies with both HSEEP and Joint Commission requirements.
