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Swine flu scare provides real-time preparedness training

Ambulatory Quality and Compliance Insider, August 1, 2009

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For years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proclaimed that the potential of a pandemic is not a question of if, but when. Hospitals around the country and the world may be heeding that advice more urgently after the recent outbreaks of novel influenza A H1N1, commonly known as swine flu.
Although the outbreaks have seemingly subsided from fears of a full-blown pandemic, the relatively brief scare may have served as a wake-up call for many facilities and a pandemic planning practice round for many others. Recently, several studies have concluded that the United States is not well prepared for a large-scale disaster, such as a pandemic, that would affect the entire nation.
A survey of all 50 states, five territories, and Washington, DC, released in early March by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), found that although the country is well prepared to distribute vaccines and antiviral drugs to combat a pandemic, items such as transportation plans are still inadequate.

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