CEUs Available: Nursing 1hr; Social Work 1hr

CEUs Available: Nursing 1hr; Social Work 1hr

What is public health informatics (PHI)? Simply put, PHI is a sub-field of public health. Program faculty will journey through the evolution of public health informatics and describe how key events over the past decade have contributed to development and utilization of many computerized systems that support public health practice. Special focus will be given to major PHI applications including syndromic surveillance. Emerging (e.g., geographic information systems, text-messaging) and future (e.g., social networking, public health information exchange) PHI applications will also be discussed.

Clinical Challenges in the Community Management of Patients with Special Needs in Disaster 

The evolution of modern medical competencies and expanded populations of increased vulnerability pose a significant challenge to today's public health professional in providing shelter and support during times of disaster in both the urban and rural environment. This course will address some of the significant existing challenges and examine how the roles and responsibilities of responding/receiving personnel, triage and transport and the capabilities within communities can be enhanced through more extensive planning coupled with focused preparation. The application of lessons learned and the careful design of infrastructure, harvesting local experience on a global scale constitutes a critical resource for future problem solving and development in improving community response to disaster.

Decision Making in Disasters:  Lessons from the Field  

The current increasingly technical and urbanized centers of human population present critical challenges and opportunities to the profession of Disaster Management in the early 21st century. The lessons and practices of yesterday no longer address a widening and diversifying pattern of population vulnerabilities which modern medical therapeutics, evolving demographics and lifestyle enhancement have generated on a global scale. The vital needs of a population at risk have expanded vastly over the past half century with enormously expanded percentages of individuals in medically vulnerable states; these individuals are potentially pushed to seek critical support in the face of environmental or social catastrophe through means which have been impaired by the imposition of external perils on the community. Those needs impact the welfare and serenity of a much wider population at large whose related needs may be entangled by a need to assist stricken neighbors or citizens. Needs of a population at risk are addressed in the context of enabling a population at large. Morale of a responding team is improved by designing response as an extension of routine practice. A mandate to plan for the worst evolves where time is of the essence. Refinement in sheltering, evacuation and community action is considered under circumstances where you can't always get what you want. Planning and communication in a new age provide means and avenues for bridging present and impending shortfalls on the journey into tomorrow.

Establishing Closed PODs:  An Overview of Recruitment, Training, and Operational Matters

 

During a public health emergency that requires medical prophylaxis for a significant number of residents within 48 hours, it is essential to recruit private entities to serve its own employees and employees' family members.  Closed Points of Dispensing sites (PODs) can be alternatives to public POD sites and address the health department staffing challenges.  This course provides an overview of the concepts and frameworks of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and Closed PODs.  Subject Matter Experts from the Alabama Department of Public Health and Mississippi State Department of Health will discuss the process of requesting, recruitment, establishment, and operational matters for Closed PODs.  Lessons learned and best practices related to the training, operating, and reporting of Closed PODs will be covered.

 

 

Orientation:  Louisiana Primary Care Association

 

The Louisiana Primary Care Association (LPCA) is a membership organization of 26 Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQHCs) with a total of 82 sites and supporters committed to the goal of achieving health care access for all and elimination of health disparities.  This course serves as an orientation for new members joining the LPCA.

 

 

Building and Maintaining a Collaborative Culture

 

Collaboration is essential to public health professionals in

order carry out their daily job duties successfully and enhance the health outcomes of the population which they serve.  This course covers why collaboration is important, how to build a collaborative culture, and barriers to effective collaboration.  This course provides two interactive case studies which offer the audience an opportunity to increase their awareness of collaboration and gain some hands-on experience in dealing with real world collaboration challenges.