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- Title
DEVELOPING AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN: A CASE FOR SIMULATION.
- Authors
Asllani, Arben; Dileepan, Parthasarati; Ettkin, Lawrence
- Abstract
An Emergency Preparedness Agency located in the Southeast region of the USA has designated seven local high schools to operate as a mass vaccination clinics (MVC) in the event of an emergency such as the outbreak of avian flu. According to federal guidelines, several physical drills are needed in an attempt to better prepare these clinics for a potential event. Physical drills are useful for testing a given plan as well as training volunteers and staff. Unfortunately, they are not appropriate for determining the best operating parameters. Simulation methodology offers tremendous opportunities for the decision makers to modify and analyze a model in order to test and evaluate numerous scenarios and operating parameters. This paper discusses a simulation approach and how it was utilized to determine the best operating parameters for the operation of an emergency mass vaccination clinic. We found that the medication time, staff assignment, and traffic flow of the population (outside and inside the clinic) are important factors affecting the rate of processing. By modifying such factors, the simulation model predicted 16 percent more patients could be vaccinated in the same 24 hour time period using one less bus for patient transportation.
- Subjects
UNITED States; EMERGENCY management; VACCINATION centers; AVIAN influenza; DISEASE management; EMERGENCY medical services
- Publication
Academy of Health Care Management Journal, 2007, Vol 3, Issue 1-2, p51
- ISSN
1559-7628
- Publication type
Article