Let's look at the healthcare system and why it's so important
to have emergency plans in place when a disaster hits.
When we think of healthcare, one of the first images that comes
to mind may be the hospital.
It's a vital part of healthcare.
Hospital staff mend our broken bones, restore blood flow
to our hearts, and help stop infection in its tracks.
But the healthcare system is broader than the hospital...
There are public health agencies, pharmacies,
behavioral health clinics, dialysis centers, EMS,
and more that all provide vital services.
The healthcare system includes people in all kinds
of professions, people like doctors, nurses, technicians,
administrators and custodial staff.
Some of us who aren't healthcare workers provide care
to loved ones in our community when they're sick or need help.
This is called informal care.
Informal care from a family member
or friend can help people get healthy and stay healthy.
We all depend on the government and on infrastructure
such as electricity, roads, and mass transportation,
to help the healthcare system and the community function.
All of these pieces are constantly working together.
This is exactly how the system is supposed to work.
But sometimes things go wrong.
What happens when a community is affected
by a flood or a tornado?
What happens when the electricity is out
and the pharmacies close?
Where do we turn when our informal caregivers can't
reach us?
Often, we turn to the hospital
because we have nowhere else to go.
The hospital does everything it can,
but hospitals can get overloaded.
When the effects of a disaster last for days, weeks,
or even months, the workload
in a hospital can become unmanageable.
Let's see what this might look like for someone
who has faced a disaster head on...
Meet Deborah.
Deborah is 71 and has diabetes.
She goes to an outpatient dialysis center three times
a week.
On most days, Deborah relies
on public transportation to get there.
Sometimes her daughter, Rachel, drives her.
Rachel also provides other care to Deborah.
She helps her with grocery shopping
and picks up her medications.
They've got a system that works for them;
it helps keep Deborah healthy and strong
so she can remain an active member of her community.
When Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012, their system broke down.
Storm surges caused flooding and resulted
in hazardous conditions.
That shut down vital infrastructure and left millions
of people without power and public transportation.
Deborah's dialysis center closed, and Rachel couldn't get
to her mother because roads were only opened
to those considered essential healthcare workers.
Deborah was left isolated and needed help.
She turned to the hospital
to get the dialysis treatment she needed,
but the hospital was overloaded with patients who were injured,
had serious infections, or were seeking comfort
as the days grew cold and people became scared.
It doesn't have to be this way.
We can make plans and forge partnerships now
to prepare our communities
and the healthcare system for a disaster.
Pharmacies, residential care facilities,
and outpatient dialysis centers, like Deborah's,
need to have emergency plans
so they can function during a disaster.
People depend on them every day.
Patients and their caregivers should ask facilities
about their disaster preparedness plans.
When these services continue to function,
patients get the care they need and the burden
on hospitals is reduced.
Private industries and not-for-profit organizations
with mobile units can travel to affected areas
to provide outpatient medical care or operate
as a mobile pharmacy during a disaster.
Local governments can learn to consider the impact
of road closures on informal care providers, like Rachel,
whose friends or family depend on them.
Keeping people out of unsafe areas is important,
but it's also crucial to provide pathways
that allow the community to step in when they need to.
A system without these plans in place simply doesn't work well.
It leaves people like Deborah isolated
and hospitals overloaded.
When we understand how healthcare
and the community are connected,
we can make sure we're ready so everyone can stay safe and healthy
Even when a disaster strikes
To learn more about how your organization can make sure it is
taking steps to be prepared,
visit Disaster dot N L M dot N I H dot gov.
and healthy, even when a disaster strikes.