Soteryx’s purpose is to provide clients and potential customers with a matrix for best practices and sound risk management preparedness regarding pandemics and other mass illness occurrences with the potential to disrupt commerce and everyday life. This is in outline form for ease of reference, accordingly.
Outline:
1. National pandemic risk assessment
a. Goal – to determine the likelihood and consequences of events that impact public health on a global, national and local level. Provides evidence-based information for actions taken to manage and reduce the negative consequences of risks to public health.
b. Risk assessments are performed to identify and prioritize preparedness, mitigation, prevention, response and recovery activities.
c. Assessment is twofold; analyzing both context (environmental, economic, technical and policy factors) and severity (# of new cases accruing, symptoms, effected groups, availability and efficacy of antiviral medications, capacity of health care services, facilities and staffing)
d. State public health agencies, will take the lead despite depleted resources and staff as they are nimble and have an understanding of the population re: data, local habits and environmental factors, past practice and epidemiological expertise.
e. Support: the CDC and any ad hoc federal task force for funding, boots on the ground, test kits and supplies, Rx drug and other support, rapid response
f. Support: pharma concerns—vaccine and symptomatic treatments
g. Support: local, state and federal (HUD, HHS, military) housing, employment, mass transit, Medicaid, Medicare, child & elderly services, anti-discrimination, fair business practices etc. to deal with job loss/commuting disruption/disruption of income/lack of sick leave or family leave, access to food or closure of food/grocery services, child care and regulation of child care facilities, access to Rx meds and other supplies or access to treatment for chronic or acute ailments or sickness unrelated to pandemic infection or secondary illness.
2. Pandemic Risk Management: Checklist for inclusion in any Pandemic Policy
a. Personal: (1) hand washing and type of cleanser (2) cleaning of surfaces and type of cleanser (3) use of face masks as feasible or efficacious (4) checking in with health care providers, health insurers (private or public) as to their policies and protocols, coverage, deductibles, (5) access to or stockpiling Rx meds and/or over the counter meds and supplies either related to upper respiratory illness or to other illnesses, chronic conditions, therapies, access to on-site therapies such as dialysis, etc.
b. Institutional: (1) cleaning of surfaces, schedule, staffing for cleaning, type of cleanser (2) restriction on travel or interface with persons recently returned from areas deemed pandemic sites by appropriate authorities, and handling of goods, etc. sent from those areas, (3) testing of remote working or schooling, including 4 or 5G cell capabilities, Wi-Fi and other bandwidth concerns, device/hardware appropriateness and security, capacity of platforms to handle mass access without crashing, cloud access and security (4) business insurance re: cancellation of business travel or convention services, failure to provide deliverables or goods.
3. Pandemic Risk Management: Procedures
a. Policy and resource management
i. Preparedness: Legal, regulatory and legislative authority; Emergency funding; Stockpiling of vaccines and antivirals; Travel restrictions; Coordination of reporting; Access and payment of treatments
ii. Response: allocation/distribution of clinical and material resources
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of actions taken, identifying opportunities for improvement
b. Planning and Coordination
i. Preparedness: establishment of multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and governmental Crisis Management team of competent clinical and technical experts; development of strategic plans at national, regional and local level, must include resource use and containment measures
ii. Response: collaboration and guidance/recommendations to leadership
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness of actions taken
c. Information Management
i. Preparedness: technical guidance and capabilities on rapid dissemination of critical clinical information, surveillance, continuity of medical records, and surge capacity
ii. Response: emergency update of technical systems, as shortcomings are identified
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness of actions taken
d. Communications
i. Preparedness: emergency access channels on social media, cable, radio, etc., spokespeople for periodic briefings for stakeholders and public, coordination of reliable news sources all designed to inform, educate and direct on medical needs and non-clinical activities such as closings and travel restrictions.
ii. Response: implementation of national and local communication emergency plan
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness
e. Early Warning and Surveillance
i. Preparedness: develop most advanced system available for clinical, epidemiological and virologic detection and information
ii. Response: procedures and algorithms for testing, laboratory results, spread/new cases, morbidity, identification of sources, changes in clinical data, etc.
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness of actions taken, including plan for continued surveillance protocols
f. Health Infrastructure and Logistics
i. Preparedness: availability of competent health care facilities, laboratories and ancillary services; availability of materials and resources such as essential pharmaceuticals, oxygen, protective equipment, syringes and diagnostic equipment; clinical staffing needs
ii. Response: implement procurement plans, emergency staffing plans, monitors for appropriate use and distribution.
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness of actions, including stockpiling for possible “second wave” of pandemic.
g. Health and Related Services/Public Health
i. Preparedness: Same as 3(f)(i) above, except for protection of unaffected or non-sick population in communities and inside health care facilities
ii. Response: implement vaccine and antiviral campaigns, quarantines, universal protective protocols against spread of infections, mental health services
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness of actions
h. Community Capacities
i. Preparedness: plans to provide treatment/support to isolated/incapacitated individuals, remote communities and marginalized groups
ii. Response: integrate health services, logistics and communication with local civic organizations, law enforcement and EMS.
iii. Recovery: ongoing review of effectiveness to identify opportunities for improvement.
Soteryx thanks Kimberly A. Chambers, former Privacy Officer for Medstar Health and former Director of Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance, Bon Secour Health System, and intern Spencer Whittle, for their assistance in creating this outline. Questions? Contact us at www.soteryx.com or @soteryx on Twitter.