title: West Virginia hospital preparedness: vision for the future.
abstract: The ability of hospitals to respond to individuals who have been chemically contaminated or victims of biologic warfare has been limited. This article reviews the current state of readiness of West Virginia hospitals and how new requirements have resulted in better preparedness for future events. Increased isolation capacity, hospital decontamination units and stockpiling of medications, forward deployment of chemical antidotes, electronic disease surveillance, and advanced credentialing of medical personnel are all key components in the overall plan for the state's preparedness.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, USA.
authors.forename: D William
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shorr
authors.forename: Amy Johnson
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Veazey
mesh_terms: D000931:Antidotes / Q000600:supply & distribution; D001694:Biological Warfare; D003666:Decontamination; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010356:Patient Isolation; D011634:Public Health; D012449:Safety; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014218:Triage; D014903:West Virginia
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D015386:Hazardous Substances