Facilitating Hospital Emergency Preparedness: Introduction of a Model Memorandum of Understanding

Abstract

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>Effective emergency response among hospitals and other health care providers stems from multiple factors depending on the nature of the emergency. While local emergencies can test hospital acute care facilities, prolonged national emergencies, such as the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, raise significant challenges. These events involve sustained surges of patients over longer periods and spanning entire regions. They require significant and sustained coordination of personnel, services, and supplies among hospitals and other providers to ensure adequate patient care across regions. Some hospitals, however, may lack structural principles to help coordinate care and guide critical allocation decisions. This article discusses a model Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets forth essential principles on how to allocate scarce resources among providers across regions. The model seeks to align regional hospitals through advance agreements on procedures of mutual aid that reflect modern principles of emergency preparedness and changing legal norms in declared emergencies.</jats:p><jats:p>(<jats:italic>Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness</jats:italic>. 2011;5:54-61)</jats:p>

The use of memoranda of understanding in fostering inter-agency collaboration: A qualitative study of health services agencies serving vulnerable populations in Baltimore, USA

“…A model MOU that was recently drafted for hospitals for emergency preparedness was deliberately made non-binding to keep it flexible. 16 Yet, a non-binding MOU may end up as a document that guides action (or not even that) but does not mandate action and hence may be ineffective.…”

“…Hodge et al 16 USA Discussed an ideal MOU for hospitals for emergency preparedness The authors contended that the legalistic language of MOUs between hospitals could be a barrier to resource sharing during emergencies. collaboration may set up collaborative structures, actual collaboration is affected by local factors such as perceived legitimacy, the roles played by stakeholders at local level, and congruence between individual organizational goals and that of the mandated initiative.…”

“…14,15 MOUs may be non-binding or contractual in nature. 16 Furthermore, the content of MOUs may range from basic listing of responsibilities to detailed description of tasks. Often submitting MOUs yield extra points on grant applications.…”

“…Local community service providers (ACT teams) were resistant to the idea. The parties engaged in work groups over nearly 16 with Department of Transportation staff from different states, and 41 regional transport planners. While the collaboratively developed plans were rarely used, the interactions during this process led to informal relationships between staff at different levels of hierarchy.…”

Procedural pain and anxiety in paediatric patients in a Mexican emergency department

“…An initial appropriate diagnostic or therapeutic procedure should be performed according to the emergency room protocol when suitable. Emergency nurses must include all of the child's data in the medical record in a real, complete, concise, readable and timely manner (Hodge et al 2011, van der Vaart et al 2011. Communication between physicians and nurses that care for the same child must be complete and effective despite the hectic emergency room environment (Campbell et al 2007).…”