During public health emergencies such as terrorist attacks or influenza outbreaks, the public health system's ability to save lives could depend on dispensing medical countermeasures such as antibiotics, antiviral medications, and vaccines to a large number of people in a short amount of time. The IOM's Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events held a workshop on November 18, 2009, to provide an overview of current threats, recent progress made in the public health system for distributing and dispensing countermeasures, and remaining vulnerabilities.

On March 3-4, 2008, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events hosted a workshop titled "Medical Countermeasures Dispensing." The overall objective was to discuss a range of solutions to rapidly provide medical countermeasures to protect large numbers of people prior to or during a public health emergency, such as a bioterrorist attack or infectious disease outbreak. The United States is currently unprepared to confront the range of threats it is facing, such as an intentional anthrax release, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), or pandemic influenza, and it must plan aggressively to counteract the threat of these and other future public health emergencies. Countermeasure dispensing must harness all types of imaginative partnerships between public and private institutions, working together in ways tailored to meet individual community needs. This workshop summary highlights the presentations and subsequent discussion that occurred at the workshop.

Large catastrophic events, or rare acute events, may cause situations in which a local jurisdiction's medicines and medical supplies are not sufficient to provide care to the population it serves. In these cases of natural or engineered disasters, such as a terrorist attack, influenza pandemic, or earthquake, state or local authorities can request that the federal government provide assets from the Strategic National Stockpile to augment the state and local jurisdictions' resources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is the nation's repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, vaccines, antiviral drugs, and other medical materiel designed to supplement and resupply state and local public health agencies in the event of an emergency. The materiel is intended to support national health security and is managed by the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response's (OPHPR's) Division of Strategic National Stockpile (DSNS). The stated mission of the SNS is to prepare and support partners and provide the right resources at the right time to secure the nation's health. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine organized a two-day public workshop to explore opportunities to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainable methods used by the CDC's SNS to distribute medical countermeasures and other supplies during disasters and other public health emergencies, especially those which result in disruption of physical infrastructure such as the electrical grid, central roadways, bridges, and tunnels within the impacted community. Participants explored relevant distribution lessons learned from other federal agency stockpiles and the private sector as well as opportunities to develop public-private collaborations in the purchase, warehousing, management, and distribution of medical countermeasures. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response, Second Edition, examines the critical intersection between emergency management and public health. It provides a succinct overview of the actions that may be taken before, during, and after a major public health emergency or disaster to reduce morbidity and mortality. Five all-new chapters at the beginning of the book describe how policy and law drive program structures and strategies leading to the establishment and maintenance of preparedness capabilities. New topics covered in this edition include disaster behavioral health, which is often the most expensive and longest-term recovery challenge in a public health emergency, and community resilience, a valuable resource upon which most emergency programs and responses depend. The balance of the book provides an in-depth review of preparedness, response, and recovery challenges for 15 public health threats. These chapters also provide lessons learned from responses to each threat, giving users a well-rounded introduction to public health preparedness and response that is rooted in experience and practice. - Contains seven new chapters that cover law, vulnerable populations, behavioral health, community resilience, preparedness capabilities, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and foodborne threats - Provides clinical updates by new MD co-author - Includes innovative preparedness approaches and lessons learned from current and historic public health and medical responses that enhance clarity and provide valuable examples to readers - Presents increased international content and case studies for a global perspective on public health

This is a comprehensive and illustrative work on the historical and contemporary perspective on presidential powers, guiding readers through the presidency as a constitutional office with many updated features from the previous edition.

This comprehensive two-volume guide is the definitive source for researchers seeking an understanding of those who have occupied the White House and on the institution of the U.S. presidency. Readers turn Guide to the Presidency and the Executive Branch for its wealth of facts and analytical chapters that explain the structure, powers, and operations of the office and the president’s relationship with Congress and the Supreme Court. The fifth edition of this acclaimed reference completes coverage of the George W. Bush presidency, the 2008 election, and the first 3 years of the presidency of Barack Obama. This includes coverage of their handling of the economic crisis, wars abroad, and Obama’s healthcare initiatives. The work is divided into eight distinct subject areas covering every aspect of the U.S. presidency, and all chapters in each subject area have been revised and updated: Origins and Development of the Presidency, including constitutional beginnings, history of the presidency and vice presidency, and presidential ratings Selection and Removal of the President, including the electoral process, a chronology of presidential elections, removal of the president and vice president, and succession Powers of the Presidency, including the unilateral powers of the presidency and those as chief of state, chief administrator, legislative leader, commander in chief, and chief economist The President, the Public, and the Parties, including presidential appearances, the president and political parties, the president and the news media, the presidency and pop culture, public support and opinion, and the president and interest groups The Presidency and the Executive Branch, including the White House Office, the Office of the Vice President, supporting organizations, the cabinet and executive departments, presidential commissions, and executive branch housing, pay, and perquisites Chief Executive and Federal Government, including the president and Congress, the president and the Supreme Court, and the president and the bureaucracy Presidents, their Families, and Life in the White House and Beyond, including the daily life of the president, the first lady, the first family, friends of presidents, and life after the presidency Biographies of the Presidents, Vice Presidents, First Ladies This new volume also features more than 200 textboxes, tables, and figures. Major revisions cover the supporting White House organizations and the president’s role as chief economist. Additional reference materials include explanatory headnotes, as well as hundreds of photographs with detailed captions.

With rapidly rising healthcare costs directly impacting the economy and quality of life, resolving improvement challenges in areas such as safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity has become paramount. Using a system engineering perspective, Handbook of Healthcare Delivery Systems offers theoretical foundation

“What a wonderful resource!"--Doody's Medical Reviews “The 4th Edition is unique in recognizing the rapid changes in both the causes of crises and the latest attempts to provide timely multidisciplinary approaches to the practice of this growing specialty...Evident throughout this edition is the call to identify crisis leadership among the increasingly talented base of nurses who have responsibility to move the profession to recognize and accept that they can be advocates for better planning, coordination, education and training.” - Frederick M. Burkle, Jr., MD, MPH, DTM, PhD(Hon.), FAAP, FACEP Senior Fellow & Scientist, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University & T.C. Chan School of Public Health From the Foreword “This impressive edition builds upon the solid foundation of the first three award-winning editions with an expanded focus on climate change related disasters, globalization and its implications for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, the accommodation of high-risk, high-vulnerability populations, and the potential for disaster arising from a world witnessing increasing community violence and civil unrest.” -Patricia M. Davidson, PhD, MED, RN, FAAN Professor & Dean, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing From the Foreword “The contributing authors read like a “Who’s Who” of disaster leaders. They lend their special expertise and insights, which are supported and elucidated by cogent learning strategies in the use of case studies, student questions, and packed content in all areas of disaster participation, preparedness, policies, and research. For over 16 years [this book] has been the hallmark text in its field and this edition proves to be the best ever.” -Loretta C. Ford, RN, PNP, EdD Dean Emeritus, University of Rochester School of Nursing Founder of the National Nurse Practitioner Program Member, National Women’s Hall of Fame Featuring the most current, valid, and reliable evidence-based content available, this three-time AJN winner once again presents an unparalleled resource for disaster and emergency preparedness. Disasters lay heavy burdens upon healthcare systems that stretch all levels of society. While natural and man-made disasters are not new, the global nature, rate, type, and totality of their impact has only increased. The fourth edition of this foundational text uniquely addresses the rapid changes in these crises and analyzes the latest attempts to provide timely, multidisciplinary healthcare. Nurses consistently comprise seventy or more percent of responders to local, national, regional, and global crises, and represent a potentially untapped resource to achieve surge capacity goals and optimize population health outcomes. Considering recent world events and increasing geopolitical tensions, Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness, Fourth Edition now features expanded content on the ubiquitous threat of terrorism, potential detonation of thermonuclear weapons, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, and increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters from climate change. This text promotes competency-based expert nursing care during disasters and positive health outcomes for small and large populations consistent with the Federal Disaster Response Framework. Whenever possible, content is mapped to published core competencies for preparing health professions’ students for response to terrorism, disaster events, and public health emergencies. The fourth edition retains the clearly organized format in each chapter that includes an overview, learning objectives, a summary, and case study with reflective questions. New to the Fourth Edition: Addresses the most recent landmark agreements Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Climate Agreement Covers public health emergencies involving community violence and civil unrest Expands coverage of planning for and accommodating high-risk, high-vulnerability populations Aligns with the U.S. National Health Security Strategy and the National Planning Frameworks Provides focused content on medical countermeasures Includes an improved instructor package with guide, PowerPoint slides, and case studies with questions for reflection in every chapter

This is the definitive reference on disaster medicine, outlining areas of proficiency for health care professionals handling mass casualty crises.