The Regional Disaster Health Response System: A Successful Model to Improve Healthcare Preparedness

Caroline C Persson¹, Eileen F Searle¹, Senem D Hinson¹+8

• ¹Caroline C. Persson, MPH, MPA, is Program Director, Region 8 Regional Disaster Health Response System (RDHRS), and Program Director, Disaster Health, Denver Health & Hospital Authority, Denver, CO. Eileen F. Searle, PhD, RN, CCRN, is Director, Pre- & Post- Crash Care, National Institute for Defense Health Cooperation, Uniformed Services University, and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD. Senem D. Hinson, MPH, is Program Director, Region 4 RDHRS, and Director of Emergency Medicine Sections and Strategic Initiatives, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Angela Ling, MSN, FNP-C, is Regional Director, Global Center for Health Security, R7DHRS, NDMS Pilot, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE. Alexander Isakov, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAEMS, is Director, Section of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine; Executive Director, Health Security; Principal Investigator, Region 4 RDHRS; and Professor, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Ziad Kazzi, MD, FAAEM, FACEP, FACMT, FAACT, is Assistant Medical Director, Georgia Poison Center; Associate Medical Director, Region 4 RDHRS; and Professor, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Jessica Ryder, MD, FAAEM, is Physician Lead, Emergency Department Disaster Preparedness, University of Colorado Hospital, and Assistant Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO. Charles Little, DO, FACEP, is Medical Director, R8 RDHRS; Medical Director, Emergency Management, University of Colorado Hospital; and Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO. Romana Hasnain-Wynia, PhD, is Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO; and was Principal Investigator, R8 RDHRS, Aurora, CO. and Chief of Academic Affairs and Public Health, Denver Health & Hospital Authority, Denver, CO. Shelly Schwedhelm, MSN, RN-NEA-BC, was Associate Director, Global Center for Health Security, R7DHRS, NDMS Pilot, NSPS, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE. Paul D. Biddinger, MD, FACEP, is Principal Investigator, Region 1 RDHRS; Chief Preparedness and Continuity Officer, Mass General Brigham; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School; Director, Center for Disaster Medicine; all in Boston, MA.