Public Health Practices

During H1N1, the Michigan Department of Community Health partnered with regional Civil Air Patrol squadrons to deliver antivirals to the Upper Peninsula to ensure deliveries were made throughout the state in the most expeditious manner. Previous exercises and training helped personnel ensure that the missions were successful.

Community and retail pharmacists possess significant skills that can be useful during an emergency response, including vast knowledge about pharmaceutical effects and interactions and the ability to clinically assess illness. Pharmacy involvement in emergency preparedness and response varies between jurisdictions due to differences in state statutes that define how far a pharmacist's clinical reach can extend.

Harmonizing public health and healthcare practices across jurisdictions can be difficult in the best of times and an even more daunting challenge during an emergency. Yet partners in Oregon were quickly able to develop regional comprehensive policies that received speedy support from hospitals and health systems, allowing for consistent approaches in H1N1 response.

Memoranda of Understanding have been developed and signed between internal university departments related to the use of facilities for Point of Dispensing (POD) sites. These departments are: Health Center, Environmental Health & Public Safety Department, Physical Facilities Department, Vice President of Student Services, and Recreation Sports Center.

The Nevada State Health Division's collaborative relationship with area American Indian tribes and the addition of a tribal liaison position led to a successful H1N1 response in this population. As the H1N1 virus started to affect local populations, the Nevada State Health Division took an aggressive approach to working with the state's health authorities and tribes.

Illinois Department of Health developed an online survey tool to collect medical countermeasure data, as required by CDC for the countermeasures report. Based on CDC's Medical Countermeasure Situational Report form, the survey tracks both those supplies the local health departments and hospitals have in stock and those supplies they have already distributed.

The Closed Dispensing Site Workbook is designed to help community organizations become closed dispensing sites to administer medication to their staff and/or clients during an emergency. The workbook is an alternative to traditional prophylaxis dispensing site and is intended to disburse preventive medication to an entire population within 48 hours.

The Push Partner Registry (PPR) is a five-county public health partnership with community-based organizations to dispense medications to at-risk populations during an emergency. The intent of the registry is to create a comprehensive database of regional private partners and community-based organizations that serve at-risk populations and are willing to serve as a private point-of-dispensing (POD) site during an emergency.