Challenges and Recommendations Towards a National System for Patient Tracking
Abstract
The United States is often exposed to disasters as a result of everything from terrorist activities to hurricanes. Such disasters have required both inter- and intra-State evacuations, sometimes requiring Federal oversight. Once such disaster resulted in the relocation of thousands of patients. While recent policy changes at the Federal level have yielded improvements in patient tracking evacuation processes, much more is expected. Patient tracking efforts have been fragmented, resulting in failure to adequately track patients out of the disaster zone through the continuum of care through re-entry post disaster. Current efforts to collaborate on a synchronized National effort are disparate and are not sufficiently addressed or funded at the Federal level. This paper examines the necessity in developing a comprehensive National system with Federal oversight for patient tracking. Such a system should have the capability to track special medical needs patients as well as those patients requiring evacuation from medical facilities during both inter- and intra-State evacuations. Recommendations are provided to assist the Department of Health & Human Services create an azimuth towards a unified objective of patient accountability. A policy strategy is proposed and a methodology suggested.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 26, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA545048
Entities
People
- Jonathan C. Fristoe
Organizations
- United States Department of Health and Human Services