Bioterrorism and Health System Preparedness: Emerging Tools, Methods, and Strategies

Slide Presentation by Maureen Lichtveld, M.D., M.P.H.

On April 30, 2002, Maureen Lichtveld, M.D., M.P.H., made a presentation in a Web-assisted teleconference at Session 2, which was entitled "Promoting Clinician Readiness."

This is the text version of Dr. Lichtveld's slide presentation. Select to access the slides or to access the streaming video of Bioterrorism and Health System Preparedness.

Promoting Clinician Readiness

Maureen Lichtveld, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Director for Workforce Development
Public Health Practice Program Office/OD
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Slide 1

CDC's Role in Mobilizing Post 9/11

• Recognition.
• Detection/Laboratories.
• Field response teams.
• Reporting/Surveillance.
• Treatment.
• Communication.
• Resources—Education/Training.

This slide shows a picture of a health care professional looking into a microscope.

Slide 2

Clinician Education and Training Observations

• Present but limited.
• Undifferentiated content, target audiences, delivery modes.
• Varying quality assurance.

This slide features a picture of a group of healthcare providers.

Slide 3

Clinician Preparedness: National Strategies

• Cooperative agreement program for Bioterrorism (BT) and Response.
• Collaborative Bioterrorism Preparedness and Training Plan.
• Strategic plan for Public Health Workforce Development.

Slide 4

Key Questions

What are the effective methods for:

• The initial training of clinicians.
• Updating and reinforcing the training.
• Use of Web/telephone-based central information resources.
• Reporting events to a central agency.
• Communicating with other health care professionals.

Slide 5

Public Health Preparedness and Response for BT:A National Program

Focus Areas:

• Preparedness planning and readiness assessment.
• Surveillance and epidemiology capacity.
• Laboratory capacity—biologic agents.
• Health Alert Network communications and information technology.
• Risk communication and health information dissemination.
• Education and training.

Slide 6

Sustaining the Momentum

Education/Training

• Competency-based, standardized.
• Students, residents, practicing clinicians.
• Interactive; usual delivery channels.
• Incentives (individual; operationalized).

Slide 7

Sustaining the Momentum

• Learning systems to assure competence.
• Evidence linking enhanced workforce performance and organizational capacity to improved health outcomes.
• Research to advance early detection, medical management and surveillance.

Slide 8

Public Health Improvement Act Implementation

Preparedness and Response for Public Health Threats and Emergencies

This slide features a triangular-diagram of the Public Health Improvement Act implementation. On top of the triangle is "Bioterrorism Emergency Response." Below that is "Bioterrorism Emergency Capacities," and below that are "Surveillance," "Laboratory Practice," and "Epidemic Investigation." On the bottom rung of the triangle are "Information/communication capacity," "workforce competency," and "organizational capacity." And below these areas are surveillance, laboratory capacity, epidemiology, information and communication systems, public health workforce capacity and competency, preparedness and response planning, and policy development and evaluation.

Slide 9

Summary of Capacities:

Education and Training

Key content areas:

• Biological/chemical agents—diagnosis, treatment, consequences.
• Unified and Incident Command Systems.
• Communications/notification systems.
• Risk communications.
• Worker safety.
• Legal authorities.
• Epi/surveillance; laboratory systems.
• Information technology.

Slide 10

Clinician Resources

www.bt.cdc.gov
www.aamc.org

Slide 11

Centers for Public Health Preparedness

This slide features a map of the United States that identifies Centers for Public Health Preparedness across the country.

Slide 12

AAMC/CDC Cooperative Agreement: Major Themes

• Promoting the teaching of public health in academic medical centers.
• Promoting the training of public health and prevention researchers within academic medical centers.
• Increasing the number of underrepresented minority students in medical schools.
• Activities to eliminate health disparities.

Slide 13

Lessons Learned—Anthrax

• Public health and law enforcement:
• Role clarification.
• Investigation methods.
• Information/Communications.
• Public health and law enforcement—joint training can lead to enhanced collaboration.

Current as of June 2002

Internet Citation

Promoting Clinician Readiness. Presentation by Maureen Lichtveld at Web-Assisted Teleconference, "Bioterrorism and Health System Preparedness: Emerging Tools, Methods, and Strategies." Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/ulp/bioteleconf/session2/lichtveldtxt.htm

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