HHS awards $390.5M to strengthen medical surge capability in hospitals and health care organizations

States, territories, and large metropolitan areas will receive grants totaling $390.5 million this month to help hospitals and other health care organizations strengthen the medical surge capability across the nation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response will provide the funds through the Hospital Preparedness Program. The grants enhance community resilience by increasing the ability of hospitals and healthcare facilities to respond to the public health and medical impacts of any emergency, such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or acts of terrorism.

All states, territories and the metro areas of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles County and Washington, D.C., will receive the 2010 Hospital Preparedness grants. The funds will be used by state and local governments to boost the readiness of hospitals and other healthcare facilities in their jurisdictions by finalizing development or improving:

• Interoperable communication systems
• Systems to track available hospital beds
• Advance registration of volunteer health professionals
• Processes for hospital evacuations or sheltering-in-place
• Processes for fatality management
• Strengthening health care partnerships at the community level
• Strengthen hospital participation in statewide and regional exercise programs.

The 2010 awards are as follows:

The grant cycle aligns with the state fiscal year of July 1 - June 30.

The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act requires accountability of the use of the Hospital Preparedness Program funds. These funds can be withheld from awardees if they fail to meet established state-level performance measures.

For more information on the Hospital Preparedness Program grants, go to: http://www.phe.gov/preparedness/planning/hpp/pages/default.aspx.

http://www.hhs.gov/news