The Healthcare Coalition may coordinate with other Coalitions (other Tier 2s) that are established in the region.
4.3.1 Response Strategies Between Regional Healthcare Coalitions
Response strategies for the Healthcare Coalition with regard to other Healthcare Coalitions include the following:
- Coordinate information sharing with other regional Healthcare Coalitions to enhance situational awareness about an incident and promote a common operating picture regarding the regional healthcare response.
- Facilitate assistance through regional mutual aid so that all healthcare organizations can optimally contribute to or benefit from available regional, State, and Federal response assistance.
- Promote consistent and effective healthcare response actions between Healthcare Coalitions across the affected region(s).
Each of these response strategies, and the major actions required to accomplish them, are described below.
Coordinate information sharing between Healthcare Coalitions
A common operating picture of the regional response to a healthcare emergency may be achieved by exchanging incident related information between Healthcare Coalitions. This may include aggregate data that has been collected by the HCRT from its member organizations, as well as information provided by the Jurisdictional Agency(s). Protocols for how this information will be shared between Healthcare Coalitions should be established during preparedness.
Facilitate regional resource support
The resource pool available for meeting requests for assistance may be expanded if there is good coordination between regional Coalitions. This ideally should be established through preparedness initiatives and addressed using instruments and processes described in Chapter 6.
Mutual aid and cooperative assistance between Healthcare Coalitions may include more than just physical resources. For example, experienced HCRT personnel from one Coalition may assist with the emergency response of another Coalition.[8] This type of assistance may help beyond the actual incident by promoting future relationships and advancing preparedness initiatives. In addition, newer Coalitions may benefit greatly from sharing tools and SOPs from a well-established Coalition.
Promote effective and consistent regional healthcare response
Regional coordination of healthcare response objectives, strategy, and major tactics can promote consistency in the healthcare response across the region and enhance public cooperation. This may occur by sharing action plans between Tier 2 Coalitions or exchanging other pertinent information, such as patient evaluation and treatment protocols. These actions can help promote and maintain consistency even as incident information and follow-on directives evolve.
4.3.2 Regional Relationships Between Healthcare Coalitions
The interface between regional Healthcare Coalitions may occur via the liaison function in each HCRT. Qualified individuals from participating healthcare organizations may be assigned to HCRT liaison positions specifically for this purpose. The liaison could work from his/her respective Coalition or home organization, but reports back on all relevant issues, such as requests for assistance. This assures that the coordination is formally “managed” by each Coalition’s HCRT. The appropriate Jurisdictional Agency in each affected region must be kept closely informed of the coordination activities between the Healthcare Coalitions.
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This is similar to the Emergency Management Mutual Aid (EMMA) concept, in which Emergency Management professionals are shared between jurisdictions through mutual aid mechanisms. A common form for this may be found at: http://www.scemd.org/Library/mutual_aid/EM_Mutual_Aid_Assistance_request_Form.doc.
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