Physician Resources

Primary Care Resources

California Primary Care Association -- This site includes emergency management templates, tools and strategies to assist California's community clinics and health centers to prepare to meet the needs of their patients and communities following natural and and other disasters.

Clinical Directors Network -- This Webcast, titled Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Project - Innovative Approach to Training and Implementation, discusses emergency preparedness from the primary care perspective.

National Center for Disaster Preparedness -- From the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, this site includes information on all aspects of preparedness, for health care professionals and the general public.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene -- This page includes an emergency preparedness assessment form for primary care facilities and other resources for primary care providers.

Pediatric Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness: A Resource for Pediatricians -- This report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the American Academy of Pediatrics serves as a practical resource that pediatricians can consult in planning for and responding to natural disasters and bioterrorist events.

Providing Mass Medical Care with Scarce Resources: A Community Planning Guide -- This report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides community planners—as well as planners at the institutional, State, and Federal levels—with information on planning for and responding to a mass casualty event (MCE).

University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine -- This site provides primary care and emergency medicine health care professionals with regularly updated bioterrorism and emerging infections education resources and free online continuing education.

Mental Health Resources

America’s HealthTogether (AHT) -- AHT has brought together some of the nation’s leading mental health and primary care organizations to respond to America’s new exposure to homeland terrorism. This Web site, Facing Fear Together, seeks to enhance primary care providers’ awareness of mental health issues and strengthen their capacity to care for their patients’ emotional and psychological needs.

Emotional Sequelae of Disasters: A Primary Care Physician's Guide -- This article from the Journal of the American Medical Women's Association outlines a brief intervention for use with disaster victims that can be performed in a primary care physician's office, addresses appropriate patient referral, and outlines the mental health resources commonly available after a disaster.

Training Courses

AMA's National Disaster Life Support -- The American Medical Association (AMA), in partnership with four major medical centers and three national health organizations, has established the National Disaster Life Support (NDLS) training program to better prepare health care professionals and emergency response personnel for mass casualty events.

Disaster Preparedness: Are Physicians Ready? -- This five-minute video from the American Medical Association approaches disaster management from a logistical standpoint, rather than clinical, exploring disaster management training, the integration of medical and public health systems, ethics, and the role of physicians in natural and man-made disasters.

International Federation of Red Cross/Red Crescent Disaster Preparedness Training Manual -- A training manual designed in nine modules, including Introduction to Disaster Preparedness, Preparedness Planning, Project Planning, Risk Reduction, Increasing Comunity Disaster Awareness, Disaster Emergency Needs Assessment, Disaster Programme Information and Reporting, Improving Coordination and Improving Basic Training Skills.

Preparing for Pandemic Flu (Members Only) -- AAFP members who wish to present to colleagues about preparing for pandemic flu can download this Power Point presentation and the accompanying script.
(44-page PowerPoint file; About Downloading)

Preparing for Pandemic Flu Script (Members Only) -- Script to accompany the "Preparing for Pandemic Flu" Power Point presentation for AAFP members who wish to present to their colleagues about preparing for pandemic flu.
(15-page Word file; About Downloading)

Sphere Project -- Sphere is based on two core beliefs: first, that all possible steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and conflict, and second, that those affected by disaster have a right to life with dignity and therefore a right to assistance. Sphere is three things: a handbook, a broad process of collaboration and an expression of commitment to quality and accountability.

United Nation’s Disaster Management Training Programme Modules -- This page includes information on preparing for disasters, as well as many other programs on managing the aftermath of a disaster.

WHO's Health Action in Crises -- The World Health Organization (WHO) WHO a large bank of training packages, modules and materials available for public use. This page also includes links to training materials developed and made available by the WHO's partners.

Additional Resources

Bioterrorism: Are You Prepared? -- This slide presentation, designed by the University of California-Los Angeles Center for Public Health and Disasters, is specifically for internists, family physicians, pediatricians, emergency physicians, and other clinical practitioners who are most likely to encounter symptomatic patients for evaluation and treatment in a bioterrorism incident. Clinical case examples are incorporated throughout the slide show to illustrate how persons who have been exposed to Category A biological agents might initially present at a clinic, doctor's office or hospital emergency room. Free registration is required to access the material.

Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) -- The Center for International Disaster Information provides information and guidance in support of appropriate international disaster relief. Individuals, groups, corporations, non-governmental organizations, embassies, media and others from around the world rely on CIDI's resources and services to provide more effective international emergency assistance.

Disasters Journal -- Disasters is a major, peer-reviewed quarterly journal reporting on all aspects of disaster studies, policy and management. The journal promotes the interchange of ideas and experience between academics, practitioners and policymakers, maintaining a balance between field reports, case study articles of general interest and academic papers.

NIOSH Interim Guidance for Postexposure Medical Screening of Workers Leaving Hurricane Disaster Recovery Areas -- This resource from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides information on the potential health consequences of working in physically demanding, unclean or unstable work environments, such as hurricane recovery areas. The information is intended for health care professionals who are responsible for overseeing the physical and mental health of people who have worked in hurricane disaster response.

Preparedness for Chemical, Biological Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) Events: Questionnaire for Health Care Facilities -- This questionnaire from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) assesses the readiness of hospitals and other health care facilities for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) events. It includes software that can be used to create an on-line survey tool using .NET architecture.

Relief Web -- Administered by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Relief Web an independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance. It provides timely, reliable and relevant information as events unfold, while emphasizing the coverage of "forgotten emergencies" at the same time.