The comparatively recent disaster (the derailment of an oil-tanker train) unveiled the vulnerability of the community and the weaknesses of the existing disaster recovery plan at Vila Health. Some of the barriers to the effective implementation of the disaster recovery plan are the lack of resources and people’s overall unpreparedness to collaborate effectively. During the past disasters, the lack of proper communication among local authorities and involved stakeholders was apparent and led to additional costs and longer recovery periods. At Vila Health, the use of inadequate protocols caused confusion, staff overload, and excessive use of resources, so an improved Disaster Recovery plan is needed. This plan will include particular guidelines and protocols that will guide personnel’s behavior during the disaster and recovery period. The suggested plan is developed in terms of the MAP-IT framework.
The first element of the MAP-IT model is to mobilize collaborative partners. The collaboration of the major stakeholders is essential for an adequate response to a disaster (Smith et al., 2016; Nekoie-Moghadam et al., 2016). The disaster recovery plan of Vila Health should comply with the standards revealed in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA). These acts serve as the central guidelines for the recovery plans existing in communities and other institutions. The plan of Vila Health should include specific protocols regarding the communication with such stakeholders as police and fire departments, community administration, and the closest local healthcare facilities. These stakeholders will have to coordinate their activities to ensure successful recovery from a disaster and the minimization of its negative aftermaths.
Assessing community needs is the next step in terms of the MAP-IT framework. According to the latest census the population of Valley City, ND, is increasing and is almost nine thousand people. Approximately, 20 % of the population are older than 65 years old and 17.1% are under 18, which means that over a third of the population requires special attention and may need additional services during evacuation. The number of undocumented non-English speaking immigrants is considerable but unidentified, so communication channels and methods to address the needs of this cohort should also be included in the disaster recovery plan. A substantial number of people are physically disabled and will need specific services during the disaster and the recovery period. The lack of resources and layoffs at fire and police departments will inevitably lead to strain on the staff during the disaster and recovery periods.
MAP-IT also implies planning aimed at lessening the existing health disparities and improving people’s access to services. North Dakota State Government (2015) developed a disaster recovery plan, and the key figures in the recovery process are EPR Coordinator, EHP Coordinator, and Public Information Officer. The latter is responsible for information dissemination. The hospital interdisciplinary team is coordinated by the Disaster Response Team Leader and Safety Officer. The team addresses such issues as patient registration and triage, treatment, resource management, and victim decontamination placement (if necessary). The disaster response team leader should be in constant contact with the corresponding authorities.
When planning the hospital’s and department’s budget, administrators and leaders of the units should (including nurse leaders) should make sure they have all the necessary materials and equipment to address their facilities’ current needs and the materials necessary in case of emergency (Cimellaro et al., 2018). Notably, staff training will also require the allocation of some funds. The resources required for disaster recovery are assessed based on the recovery plan. This section of the plan should be updated regularly and it is critical to ensure the availability of all resources. There should also be some emergency funds that will be used during the disaster and during the recovery period if necessary.
In order to ensure the effective implementation of the recovery plan, it is important to engage the community in several ways. Local businesses can donate to ensure the availability of resources at the time of need. The dissemination of information is another strategy to make the community involved and prepared in case of an emergency (Cimellaro et al., 2018). The analysis of past disasters, the current situation, and potential threats should be conducted and become the basis of the process of the recovery plan development.
The implementation of a new improved disaster recovery plan will contribute to achieving some Healthy People 2020 objectives. The major contribution will be associated with objectives concerning access to healthcare services and meeting the needs of people with disabilities.
The final stage of the MAP-IT framework is tracking the progress of the community. Community progress can be managed with the help of a timeline and regular updates on the implementation of each stage. The review of people’s needs, past and potential disasters will be the first stage of the recovery plan development process. However, this review will be an ongoing process with regular updates. Similar to this stage, the establishment of channels will take place during weeks 1-3, but the communication will become regular to ensure coordination and efficacy.
Reference
Cimellaro, G. P., Malavisi, M., & Mahin, S. (2018). Factor analysis to evaluate hospital resilience. ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part A: Civil Engineering, 4(1), 1-29.
Healthy People 2020. (2020a). Access to health services.
Healthy People 2020. (2020b). Disability and health.
Nekoie-Moghadam, M., Kurland, L., Moosazadeh, M., Ingrassia, P. L., Della Corte, F., & Djalali, A. (2016). Tools and checklists used for the evaluation of hospital disaster preparedness: A systematic review. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 10(5), 781-788.
North Dakota State Government. (2015). Emergency preparedness and response section. Web.
Smith, S. W., Braun, J., Portelli, I., Malik, S., Asaeda, G., & Lancet, E., Lee, D. C., Prezant, D. J., Goldfrank, L. R. (2016). Prehospital indicators for disaster preparedness and response: New York City emergency medical services in Hurricane Sandy. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 10(3), 333-343.