Public Health Preparedness: HHS Should Take Actions to Ensure It Has an Adequate Number of Effectively Trained Emergency Responders
Abstract
NDMS is the main program through which HHS enrolls responders to assist with the federal medical and public health response to public health emergencies. HHS deploys NDMS responders to provide, among other things, patient care and movement. During the 2017 hurricanes, NDMS had a shortage of responders that resulted in HHS relying on other departments, such as the Department of Defense, to provide medical care. As of December 2019, HHS had 3,667 NDMS responders. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 included a provision for GAO to review HHSs responder surge capacity. This report examines (1) the workforce planning for NDMS responders to assist with public health emergencies, and (2) training provided to these responders. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed agency NDMS planning documentation, including NDMS staffing decisions, team structures, and training materials; compared HHS actions to key workforce planning practices; and interviewed HHS officials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1154488
Entities
People
- Mary Denigan-macauley
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office