Donna F. Barbisch, MPH, DHA, George Washington University; Global Deterrence Alternatives, LLC, 101 E Street, S.E., Washington, DC 20003, 202-547-7073, barbisch@deterrence.net and Walter J. Jones, PhD, Department of Health Administration and Policy, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425.

The importance of medical disaster planning has been heightened by 9/11 and the threat of emerging infectious disease. To function effectively, public health and emergency management systems require the participation of many public and private sector organizations over multiple communities. Hospitals and other health and medical assets need a cost effective, seamless approach to synchronize their parallel systems, and thereby create the necessary surge capacity for rapid and sustained response. This requires extensive inter-organizational collaboration in assessing existing medical emergency capability, projecting needs in case of disaster, and analyzing capabilities gaps. Disaster responses must capitalize on collective organizational efforts combined with aid from outside the region balanced with the cost and availability of such assets. Planning sessions to develop surge capacity for catastrophic healthcare emergencies have been integrated with existing regional initiatives. The Seamless Emergency Medical Logistics Expansion System (SEMLES) establishes a program within District of Columbia Department of Health to move concepts into an integrated operational reality. SEMLES provides a hub that links resources into a modular expansion capability as needs grow. Regardless of the resource: pre-hospital, hospital; non-hospital healthcare; health related; or infrastructure support; SEMLES enables connectivity to optimize capability. It works with all existing local, regional, and federal programs such as the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), as well as CDC and HRSA grant requirements. Despite inevitable organizational, financial and political obstacles, SEMLES coordinates and synchronizes programs to provide a template in optimizing surge capacity.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Recognize the various aspects in which SEMLES requires inter-organizational collaboration in order to work as a planning methodology.
• Describe the collaborative efforts currently underway for developing surge capacity for healthcare emergencies.
• Analyze the possible organizational, political and financial obstacles to successful utilization of SEMLES by multiple community organizations.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Partner in Global Deterrence Alternatives LLC