<< Critical Infrastructure Key Resource Sectors

 

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Public Health and Healthcare Sector Sector-Specific Plan [FOUO]

 

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Homeland Security Components

• Office of Infrastructure Protection

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More from Homeland Security

• National Infrastructure Protection Plan
• NIPP Sector-Specific Plans

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Public Health and Healthcare Sector: Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources

Sector Overview

The Public Health and Healthcare Sector constitutes approximately 15 percent of the gross national product. Operating in all U.S. states, territories, tribal areas, cities, counties, and towns, the Public Health and Healthcare Sector is integral to the U.S. economy and plays a significant role in response and recovery across all other sectors in the event of a natural or manmade disaster. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the Sector-Specific Agency (SSA) for the Public Health and Healthcare Sector.

The Public Health and Healthcare Sector is highly decentralized. Sector entities work together under varying circumstances (e.g., managing supplies, providing clinical care), however, other than in catastrophic events, healthcare tends to be localized. The Public Health and Healthcare Sector has interdependencies across multiple sectors, including:

• Transportation Systems, for the movement of supplies, pharmaceuticals, workforce members, and emergency response units;
• Agriculture and Food, for coordination of pandemic preparedness and other issues;
• Energy, for continuity of operations, electricity to maintain medical device systems, and enabling protection programs;
• Water, for the provision of healthcare, pharmaceutical operations, and sanitization;
• Emergency Services, for coordination with first-responders; and
• Information Technology and Communications, for critical information systems and security services.

This page was last reviewed/modified on March 18, 2008.