ASPR TRACIE continues to monitor the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Together with the National Ebola Training and Education Center (NETEC), we are hosting the Healthcare System Readiness for Highly Pathogenic Infectious Diseases webinar on Tuesday, June 12, from 1-2:15 p.m. EDT. Register now: space is limited. We invite you to visit our Select Infectious Disease Resources page, which includes a link to our comprehensive VHF/Ebola Topic Collection.

Summertime is synonymous with sunshine, relaxation, and vacations, but not for our stakeholders! We know that many of you are finalizing preparations for (and some have already responded to) the hazards that accompany warmer weather. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states, “Each year, the United States averages some 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, 1,300 tornadoes and 2 Atlantic hurricanes, as well as widespread droughts and wildfires.” We encourage you to check out our Natural Disasters Topic Collection and Select Hurricane-Related Resources page.

Be on the lookout for Issue 7 ofThe Exchangelater this month, featuring your colleagues sharing their experiences providing healthcare in the minutes and hours after no-notice incidents, such as mass shootings. You can always visit the ASPR TRACIE-Developed Resources page to review past issues.

This issue of The Express includes information on an upcoming webinar, new and updated ASPR TRACIE resources, forthcoming events, and domain contents.

Upcoming Webinar: Healthcare Challenges after Radiological Incidents

While there is an abundance of resources geared towards healthcare, public health, and emergency management professionals planning for a large-scale radiological release or nuclear detonation incident, concrete planning remains challenging and few jurisdictions have detailed plans. Power plant incidents, radiation dispersal devices, and improvised nuclear device detonations result in very different injury and exposure patterns and response planning must account for all of these. On July 11, from 2-3:15 p.m. EDT, webinar panelists will discuss the effects of radiological incidents on health, healthcare, and planning strategies related to different incidents. They will also share guidance and lessons learned from recent exercises and research in assessing, triaging, treating, and following up on casualties of radiological and nuclear emergencies. Register for this webinar today!

Updated: EMTALA and Disasters

All Medicare-participating hospitals with emergency departments must satisfy the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), except in certain situations. This tip sheet provides a definition of EMTALA, explains how it can be waived, and lists strategies for compliance. Answers to frequently asked questions and links to helpful resources are at the end.

Now Available: Select ASPR Presentations from the 2018 Preparedness Summit

Did you miss a session? Were you unable to make it to the Summit this year? You can now access select presentations on our ASPR Preparedness Summit Presentations web page. Visit today to learn more about how ASPR is working to save lives and protect Americans from 21st century health security threats.

New: Disaster Healthcare Resources Available in Spanish

In response to several technical assistance requests, ASPR TRACIE developed this list of healthcare resources available in Spanish. Topics include chronic illnesses, disaster behavioral and mental health, and emergency preparedness. This page also includes a link to the presentation and recording of the recent ASPR & American Academy of Pediatrics webinar, held mostly in Spanish, where speakers highlighted disaster-related resources on small business restoration, preparedness, and mental health services in Puerto Rico. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid also recently posted a Spanish version of the interpretive guidelines and survey procedures to support the implementation of a standard all-hazards emergency preparedness program for all 17 certified provider and supplier types as it pertains to the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule. Know of additional resources we should include? Email us and we will consider them!

Upcoming Events

The National Healthcare Coalition’s 2018 Call for Abstracts is now open—visit this pageto submit yours and learn more about the conference.

The Association of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Professionals (AHEPP) is hosting their annual conference in November. Registration and a preview of sessions are now available.

Domain Updates

Technical Resources
There are currently 55 comprehensively developed Topic Collections in the Technical Resourcesdomain, including our most recently published Mass Distribution and Dispensing of Medical Countermeasures and Chemical Hazards Collections. Be on the lookout for our next two Collections on blood and blood products and bioterrorism. Don’t forget to check out our recently-developed tip sheets based on healthcare system lessons learned from recent no-notice incidents. These and related resources are available on our Select Mass Violence Resources page. Maintaining communication systems during a disaster is frequently mentioned as one of the biggest challenges after the fact.These resources highlight how amateur radio users have supplemented healthcare facility and community disaster response; access the related section in our Communications Systems Topic Collection for more information. We invite you to consider sharing resources you have used in your healthcare organization or facility for potential inclusion in our Resource Library.

Assistance Center
The Assistance Center has processed over 3,500 technical assistance (TA) requests from a variety of stakeholders (including over 720 related to the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule). Recently released responses to TA requests include:Hospital Water Storage Tanks, Considerations for Oxygen Therapy in Disasters, Primary Care Clinic Resources, and Tribal Emergency Preparedness Resources. Access the updated, categorized summary of many of the requests we have received, and please reach out if you need assistance.

Information Exchange
Nearly 4,600 of your colleagues use the Information Exchange—do you? Register now to join the conversation and learn more about setting up private topic areas. You can customize your experience even further by checking “Notify Me of All Activity” on each topic or thread you are interested in. You will then receive an email when there is an update. Need help navigating the IE? Check out this quick how-to video.