The following COVID-19 resources provide guidance on the processes for cleaning and disinfecting protective garments and PAPRs in the event that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and to ensure proper hygiene practices between uses.

Take these five steps to free up patient capacity and move to a full 24/7 operational platform. To battle the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and the entire healthcare system has to change its admissions procedures and move to a full capacity protocol.

A man is in isolation at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington after returning home to Washington state after a trip to Wuhan China on Jan. 15, 2020. This is the first case in the U.S. of an infection with a new coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV, which causes respiratory symptoms like pneumonia. Cases have also… Read more »

Recently, a Swedish hospital was reminded of the critical need for Ebola preparedness. A patient arrived at the Skane University Hospital on September 30, 2019, running a high fever after traveling in a region of Africa stricken by Ebola. The hospital placed the patient in isolation after discovering the patient’s travel history to an area where Ebola is present, and a fever.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), citing evidence in a peer-reviewed study, has added a new step to its decontamination guidance for chemical incidents. It calls for exposed people to first wipe themselves off with dry, absorbent materials, such as towels or washcloths before they pass through a water spray. “Disrobing and dry… Read more »

The 2019 National Healthcare Security Index has been released. The scores indicate the ability to protect the health security of Americans from incidents like newly emerging infectious diseases, terrorism, and extreme weather conditions at the state and national levels. Healthcare emergency preparedness in the United States has improved significantly over the past six years according… Read more »

Efforts over the last two decades to prepare communities for disasters have failed and new methodologies need to be developed, according to research by FEMA’s Higher Education Program. The FEMA Higher Education National Emergency Training Center Building Preparedness report highlights the vast diversity of American communities and households, indicating that a one-size-fits-all strategy is not… Read more »

Receive 20% off on DQE’s On-Site Training Courses – just in time to plan for the coming year. Purchase your training by the end of January to qualify! DQE provides education that is practical and scalable to enhance your hospital’s strengths and build a sustainable state of readiness in your facility. Our programs are delivered by experienced instructors, customizable based on your local needs and in compliance with national standards and regulations.

Imagine your hospital has lost primary power due to flooding from a rainstorm which has been raging for five days. Water is leaking into your basement where your backup generators and fuel pumps are located. Engineering thinks the hospital can remain operational for an additional twelve hours if the rain stops soon. Unfortunately, weather forecasters… Read more »

When Hurricane Sandy made landfall in October of 2012, 14 US states and Washington, D.C. were impacted. It was the second-costliest hurricane in US history after Katrina. The storm spanned 1,100 miles, killing at least 233 people along the path of the storm in eight countries. In New York City alone, the storm was the… Read more »