Emergency Preparedness & Trauma

OHA leads a statewide and regional initiative for emergency preparedness and trauma programs that includes the coordination and implementation of federal and state grant funding. These cooperative projects are designed to improve surge capacity and enhance community and hospital preparedness for public health emergencies. 

Emergency Preparedness

OHA maintains PrepareOhio.com (www.PrepareOhio.com), which provides comprehensive emergency preparedness information specifically for hospitals. In 2013, OHA staff was successful in

• Facilitating the participation of 101 Ohio hospitals in the OHA-Joint Commission Resources (OHA-JCR) Joint Commission survey preparedness program

• Revised the Ohio Medical Coordination Plan to include pediatric triage model for crisis standard of care. A draft of the triage model has been completed and submitted to ODH for review and approval. A FY12-13 grant will fund the continued development of the model and implementation processes. This triage model will serve as a model, not only for Ohio hospitals and health care facilities, but for health care facilities across the nation. The Institute of Medicine is extremely interested in viewing the final product for endorsement.

• Participated in two Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Expert Panels to advocate for the continued federal funding of hospitals and health care facilities disaster preparedness initiatives.

• Distributed regional funds in the amount of $841,982 were used to support 18 hospitals and 14 county coalitions in 21 counties within the Southeast region.

• Led community projects totaling over $300,000 for developing and enhancing health care system preparedness.

• Conducted regional training for hospitals in Trauma Nurse Core Courses and Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course for hospitals in the Southeast Ohio region.

• Conducted regional functional exercise with hospitals, health care systems, and preparedness partners.

Trauma

OHA staff works with hospital members and government officials to manage Ohio’s robust trauma program. The Ohio Trauma Program helps get the right patient to the right hospital, at the right time, in the right manner. A statewide trauma system law was passed in 2000, leading to the creation of pre-hospital trauma triage protocols, geriatric triage protocols and a state trauma registry. OHA maintains an Ohio Trauma Program Web site in conjunction with Bricker & Eckler LLP with additional information and resources. View a list of Ohio trauma centers.