title: A survey of hospitals to determine the prevalence and characteristics of healthcare coalitions for emergency preparedness and response.
abstract: Previous reports have identified the development of healthcare coalitions as the foundation for disaster response across the United States. This survey of acute care hospitals characterizes the current status of participation by US hospitals in healthcare coalitions for emergency preparedness planning and response. The survey results show the nearly universal nature of a coalition approach to disaster response. The results suggest a need for wide stakeholder involvement but also for flexibility in structure and organization. Based on the survey results, the authors make recommendations to guide the further development of healthcare coalitions and to improve local and national response to disasters.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biosecurity of UPMC, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA. krambhia@upmc-biosecurity.org
authors.forename: Kunal J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Rambhia
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Waldhorn
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Selck
authors.forename: Ambereen Kurwa
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Toner
mesh_terms: D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060731:Emergency Responders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States