Emergency and Preparedness in the Healthcare Industry
The future of the healthcare will partly rely on various emergency preparedness measures available in hospitals across the country. Adequate preparedness levels in healthcare facilities outline one of the best ways of measuring the superiority and quality of the services that health facilities offer. Within the setup of providing affordable health services to communities, the outcomes that ensue due to disasters and emergencies reveal the actual state of the industry. Although severe disasters have been managed in the past by the virtue that the relevant authorities facilitated disaster preparedness procedures, hospitals still show a lack of readiness and increased levels of unpreparedness thus necessitating the need to come up with a comprehensive emergency strategy.
In a setup that entails a raft of issues such as high costs, declining quality, and technological advancements, suitable response approaches to emergencies within the medical field lead to the failure or success of the sector’s setup. A fragile model of medical systems brings about an incompetent module that puts patients at risk. As technology impacts on all spheres that relate to society, it also influences the medical field. An approach should be hatched and implemented through a model that reflects the risk assessment measures to develop and increase a mechanism that averts the hazards involved. These rules should establish diverse capability systems that focus on the critical role played by disaster management in accidents and humanitarian crisis.
Currently, most hospitals do not have the required mechanisms and approaches to deal with any emergency. Moreover, a number of them have few workers and lack vital resources such as enough vehicles for transportation. The implication here is that most local communities are at an increased risk of sustaining high fatality rates in case of an emergency. The urgent situations caused by natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes make it hard for the allocation of relevant medical services to affected people. As a result, individuals lack the necessary skills to tackle situations that arise from disasters. Besides, the lack of capable mechanisms brings about a state of affairs that quashes the ability to respond quickly to these tragedies. The evaluation of the current approaches used by medical facilities in response and management showcases the need for a fresh model that entails a comprehensive feature and inclusive manner. Trained personnel in addition to an effective emergency management strategy usually turn out to be critical resources in situations of emergencies.
The shortage of equipment in hospitals leads to disparate standards across the country thereby instigating an unbalanced way of disaster management. The situation makes it hard for the medical field to administer relevant emergency preparedness training and awareness practices to the public. Such a situation decreases the participation of the public and makes them less aware of the dangers that may ensue from disasters. Moreover, the affected patients fail to manage the aftermath of a disaster, in that the trauma that follows such painful experiences disconnects them from reality. Crucially, the negative impact reveals the benefits of technology in healthcare in light of the diverse ways through which technology makes it easier for professionals to deal with an emergency situation.
Dealing with the Emergencies
The hospitals in the country play a critical role in mitigating the effects caused by various emergencies and disasters. Mainly, the changing dynamics of the world call for the ample preparedness levels in all hospitals. Such tragedies and the fatal outcomes linked to them call for a systemized and competent approach that would enhance the communal and medical response during such times. Through the association with the various relevant agencies, these medical outlets should offer support, rescue, mitigate and alleviate the threats caused by the ensuing disasters.
The full spectrum of the emergencies in remote areas of the country needs the formulation of a procedure that entails the policy analysis and implementation of a communication model. In essence, such an approach would lessen the risk factors associated with disasters and other forms of negative situations arising from emergencies. Such catastrophes require a valuable and an extensive schedule that assesses the risks emanating from the cases. Besides, communication methods should comply with the needs of the patients by linking all the relevant entities such as the police, healthcare providers, and public health officials. Through a well-coordinated channel, these communication systems alleviate the depressing outcomes that ensue as a result of natural catastrophes. All in all, a successful strategy should include a comprehensive communication plan in light of the significant role of information during a disaster. Such is the case because people need information in order to act or access resources.
Public health departments and other agencies should carry out the necessary training programs to ensure that every member of the society fully understands the disaster response and management process. These programs enhance the local community’s understanding and competence when dealing with the adverse situations as compelled by the calamities. Training of the populace increases their awareness levels and makes them acknowledge the conditions that may lead to disasters. Testing their knowledge entails drills that aim at rating their understanding of the circumstances and the strength of their decision-making process. Training like communication ensures that people are generally aware of what they need to do in the event of an emergency. More importantly is that fact that it is out of training that individuals acquire necessary skills that are critical.
All the medical outlets in the country ought to have modern means of keeping in touch. Reliable models of digital communication increase the methods of averting fatalities as they connect the needy persons to the various health centers across the country. The obstacles brought about by hitches in communication lead to the crisis of coordinating the events during such harsh times. Overall, the results from such situations only increase the deaths that could have not occurred in the first place. The vital connection between healthcare agencies and infirmaries within the locality leads to a systemized and efficient method of decreasing fatalities.
During times of disasters and catastrophes, law enforcement agents have a difficult period in organizing and managing the situation. Besides, they also work to make sure that the community returns to normal life within a short time. As a result, management of these cases hinges on the crucial mode of organization and communication between the federal and local authorities. The jurisdiction of the officers should follow a command that makes it easier for the disaster management teams to fully alleviate the dangers despite the geographic or regional authority. The underlying aspect that emanates from such a synchronized manner of organization leads to the outcome that educates the masses about the dangers of the catastrophes and how to manage them effectively.
The spate of disasters, both natural and artificial, with inadequate hospital emergency management plans, reveals the need for comprehensive disaster preparedness and management plans. Most fatalities from such situations happen because of the lack of necessary skills to handle the situation. Besides, the law enforcement agencies offer a complex nature of jurisdiction thereby limiting the success of averting danger. The flexibility initiated by disaster management programs should lead to an enhanced environment for the supervision of calamities. Furthermore, the link between the masses and the medical centers should at all times maintain a professional mode of conduct to increase leverage and save lives of those affected.
Basic amenities such as water and electricity aid in alleviating the dangers caused by disasters through providing the necessary help needed. People should always have water supplies in their homes in case of emergency as it plays a vital role in enhancing the health conditions of the affected persons. The government should address the problem of water shortage and make connection to all the areas as a way of mitigating disaster. Besides, homesteads should also have reservoirs and tanks that store water to forestall any ensuing shortage. Moreover, electricity helps in maintaining the process of safe evacuation in case of crisis by providing light. Homes should have generators as a backup plan in case power goes off. Crucially, such a situation makes it easier to help the affected victims. The government should ensure that the communication system works always to ease the process of contacting each other. During catastrophes, the victims can reach people in other states or in nearby medical outlets for assistance. An efficient communication structure eases the coordination efforts by the rescue team and provides the channel for relaying crucial information about the victims and the scale of the crisis.
The supply of food, water, blankets and other vital resources to the affected areas should follow a well-documented script that increases the awareness of the public. Supplies of food should always be stored in strategic places in each state for easier transportation during such critical times. Food rations help in saving lives during disasters. As a result, the federal government should build reserves for food to thwart the danger of predicaments. All the neighborhoods in the country should put into practice an arrangement that integrates all the requisites that advance the level of forestalling casualties in times of an emergency. By making proper plans for the accessibility of drugs, water, and food, the government should build up an organization that includes the policies of convenient healthcare. Incorporation of such models augments the diverse plans intended for restraining the adverse consequences of tragedies.
Dr. Wanjiru Njugi
PhD Student- Global Health