This series of books is intended to provide the student of emergency management with a comprehensive introduction to the practice of this discipline within the specialized context of a healthcare setting. It deals with the practice of emergency management from the “ground up,” introducing all of the basic concepts and skills, but in the context of healthcare settings. Healthcare institutions, such as hospitals and specialty care facilities, by their the very nature of their business, operate with variables which are not normally found in the community at large, and therefore, require more attention than normally occurs in community emergency plans. All of the expected subjects will be covered in some degree of detail. Each chapter will focus on a different aspect of emergency management, always within the specialized context. That is not to say that the content would not be applicable in other types of emergency management; in fact, the opposite is quite true.
Each chapter contains both theory and practical applications. In terms of chapter organization, in each case the applicable theory will be addressed, followed by examples which are, wherever possible, specific to the healthcare setting. The examples are then followed by the identification of location-specific problems and by the development of appropriate strategies to address and resolve each type of problem identified. Following each chapter’s Conclusion, a series of student projects are recommended, each with the intent of developing the student’s experience at the application of practical skills. These are followed by a series of multiple-choice questions, intended to provide the student with a knowledge check prior to moving on to the next chapter. Finally, a list of recommended readings, along with citations and end notes for the content of each chapter are included. The author recognizes the fact that we live in an increasingly digital world, and that good textbooks are becoming increasingly expensive and difficult for both students and their learning institutions to acquire. As a result, wherever possible, instructions have been provided in each citation for accessing the appropriate reference information source online. Additionally, wherever possible, the recommended reading list includes instructions to access the entire books digitally.
This series of books is not just intended for a student audience. Working Emergency Managers in both healthcare settings and in community and government settings will hopefully find this information useful and practical. As a result, the author has attempted to include actual examples of the majority of the document types described in the various chapters of this book. These are available digitally, on a copy-protected website, access to which accompanies this book at the time of sale. The website is formatted to permit the viewing of the documents, but not the printing of those documents, and without the ability to modify the documents in any way. As a major labor-saving device, the reader may purchase a password protected one-year renewable license, which will unlock the content of the website, permitting the full customization of each document to reflect local realities, including specific site locations, local telephone numbers, and even the logo of the reader’s institution. In essence, this feature permits the rapid development of a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan, and all of the associated documentation, for any type of hospital or other healthcare institution. Information on obtaining such a license is included on the inside leaf of this book.