RAND Research Topic: Emergency Preparedness 2012-05-24T14:24:55Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/topics/emergency-preparedness.html Simple Steps for Preparedness and Response to Terrorist Attacks http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1731.html Feb 23, 2006 Feb 23, 2006 <p>Individuals can take simple steps to protect themselves from the harmful effects of potential terrorist attacks involving chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological weapons.</p> Attempts by States to Save Money by Locking Medicaid Enrollees out of the ED Are Likely to Backfire http://www.rand.org/blog/2012/05/attempts-by-states-to-save-money-by-locking-medicaid.html May 21, 2012 May 21, 2012 A better solution than restricting emergency department use by Medicaid enrollees is to reverse what for many years has been a trend of shrinking access to primary care for Medicaid beneficiaries. Emergency Departments, Medicaid Costs, and Access to Primary Care&mdash;Understanding the Link http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/05/16/NEJM.html May 16, 2012 May 16, 2012 The fact that many ED (emergency department) visits could be managed in primary care settings does not mean that such care is available, write Arthur L. Kellermann and Robin M. Weinick. Analysis of the Cities Readiness Initiative http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1200.html Mar 27, 2012 Mar 27, 2012 The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) aims to improve communities' ability to rapidly provide life-saving medications during public health emergencies. The authors examine (1) the status of communities' operational capability to meet the goal of delivering medical countermeasures within 48 hours of a federal decision to deploy assets and (2) whether there is evidence that CRI has improved communities' capability to meet that goal. Preventing emergency readmissions to hospital: A scoping review http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1198.html Jan 25, 2012 Jan 25, 2012 The study reports on the evidence and potential for use of 'emergency readmissions within 28 days of discharge from hospital' as an indicator within the NHS Outcomes Framework, drawing on a rapid review of systematic reviews. Developing and Pilot Testing a Laboratory Specific Continuity of Operations Tabletop Exercise http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20120093.html Jan 1, 2012 Jan 1, 2012 Describes the importance of a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), and identifies common strengths and potential vulnerabilities of laboratory-specific COOPs. Commercial Products That Convey Personal Health Information in Emergencies http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100283.html Dec 1, 2011 Dec 1, 2011 <p>A wide range of products and services exist to help patients convey personal health information. Health care providers should be familiar with their features, so they can access the information in a disaster or emergency.</p> Interactive Guide Helps Child-Serving Organizations Prepare for Emergencies http://www.rand.orghttp://www.promisingpractices.net/resources/emergencyprep/.html Nov 10, 2011 Nov 10, 2011 The Promising Practices Network has developed an emergency planning guide that presents high-priority preparedness activities and documents to help child-serving organizations customize their emergency plans. RAND Health Quarterly, Vol. 1 No. 1 http://www.rand.org/pubs/periodicals/health-quarterly.html Sep 9, 2011 Sep 9, 2011 RAND Health Quarterly is an online journal sharing the results of recent RAND research areas across a broad spectrum of health-related issues. Why Are Many Emergency Departments in the United States Closing? http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9607.html Sep 9, 2011 Sep 9, 2011 Between 1990 and 2009, the number of emergency rooms (ERs) in nonrural U.S. hospitals declined by 27 percent (from 2,446 to 1,779). Economic factors play a central role in an ER's ability to remain open. Achieving Public Health Legal Preparedness: How Dissonant Views on Public Health Law Threaten Emergency Preparedness and Response http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20100165.html Aug 31, 2011 Aug 31, 2011 Organizational culture differences between public health and emergency management entities may hinder inter-agency collaboration. Quake a Disaster 'Drill' D.C. Flunked http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/08/29/CNN.html Aug 29, 2011 Aug 29, 2011 Fortunately for the nation's capitol, Hurricane Irene and the East Coast earthquake proved to be relatively minor events, as far as disasters go. But before everyone breathes a sigh of relief, it would be wise to reflect on how people responded to what were essentially dress rehearsals for much bigger events, write Lynn E. Davis and Arthur L. Kellermann. Policymakers and Public Need to Be Able to Track and Account for Federal Disaster Funds http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/07/14/MA.html Jul 15, 2011 Jul 15, 2011 If the U.S. does not improve its ability to track federal spending and develop reliable measures of effectiveness, precious federal disaster aid will continue to be at risk of being squandered, writes Agnes Gereben Schaefer. Factors Associated with Closures of Emergency Departments in the United States http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20110092.html May 17, 2011 May 17, 2011 This study found that the number of emergency departments operating in the US from 1990 to 2009 declined by 27%. EDs with safety-net status, for-profit ownership, and low profit margin were at higher risk of closure. Resource Allocation, Emergency Response Capability, and Infrastructure Concentration Around Vulnerable Sites http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100142.html Apr 30, 2011 Apr 30, 2011 In this paper, we describe a methodology for measuring a region's exposure to infrastructure-related risks that captures both a community's concentration of facilities or sites considered to be vulnerable and of the proximity of these facilities to surrounding infrastructure systems. Managing the Unexpected http://www.rand.org/multimedia/audio/2011/04/19/managing-the-unexpected.html Apr 19, 2011 Apr 19, 2011 Admiral Thad Allen, then a senior fellow at RAND, presented “Managing the Unexpected” on April 19, 2011, as part of RAND's Issues in Focus public outreach series. Retired Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and National Incident Commander for the response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Allen discussed his experiences leading the nation's high-profile response to two national emergencies—the oil spill and Hurricane Katrina. Complex trauma research in the UK: A rapid review of the funding landscape http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB613.html Apr 18, 2011 Apr 18, 2011 This documented briefing presents the results of a rapid review of the funding landscape for complex trauma research in the UK. Recommendations are made about how to strengthen this niche and orphan area of research. Preparedness Exercises 2.0: Alternative Approaches to Exercise Design That Could Make Them More Useful for Evaluating &amp;mdash; and Strengthening &amp;mdash; Preparedness http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100128.html Mar 31, 2011 Mar 31, 2011 <p>Preparedness exercises play central roles in both the building and assessment of organizational readiness for future incidents. Though processes for designing and evaluating exercises are well established, there are opportunities to improve the value of exercises for strengthening preparedness and as tools for gathering assessment data. This article describes the application of systems analytical approach adapted from engineering that examines response operations as systems with potential failure modes that could hurt performance at future incidents.</p> Building Community Resilience to Disasters http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR915.html Feb 22, 2011 Feb 22, 2011 Communities can build resilience to disasters through efforts such as joint planning of government and non-governmental organizations and the development of community networks. Building Community Resilience to Disasters: A Roadmap to Guide Local Planning http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9574.html Feb 22, 2011 Feb 22, 2011 Examines ways in which communities can improve their ability to withstand and recover from adversity.