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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Four Stages of Planning and Implementation During COVID-19: One Rural Hospital's Preparations
Highlights a rural California hospital's four stage plan in preparing for a potential patient surge related to the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses actions achieved to ensure quality in the current care and treatment of patients. Discusses the steps taken to provide care through community outreach and to maintain financial support.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural COVID-19 Case Study: Surviving a COVID-19 Surge
Profiles an Indiana Critical Access Hospital's early experience with COVID-19. Outlines lessons learned regarding testing and treating COVID-19 patients, as well as ongoing preparations for additional cases. Highlights partnerships with area healthcare providers to navigate the pandemic.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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RCAP Planning for Pandemics Toolkit
Toolkit designed by the Ohio Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) to help small water systems prepare for an epidemic. Includes flyers on COVID-19 and sanitation, and a continuity of operations plan template that can be used to prepare for a pandemic.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Rural Community Assistance Partnership
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Fast-Track to Teledentistry - Removing Barriers to Care While Maximizing Overall Health
Details the barriers to oral healthcare access and discusses the ways teledentistry can help overcome them. Highlights the role teledentistry can play during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and in rural and underserved communities. Presents examples of successful uses of teledentistry and provides guidance for teledentistry implementation.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Information for First Responders on Maintaining Operational Capabilities During a Pandemic
Provides resources to help first responders plan for the impacts of a severe pandemic. Offers ways to adjust operations to maintain readiness, planning tools for local leaders, and reference sheets with discipline-specific action steps.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Fire Administration
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Rural Health Concerns, Opportunities and Strategies for COVID19: Early Thoughts of the State Offices of Rural Health
Summarizes three listening sessions with the 50 State Offices of Rural Health held in March 2020 to identify rural health challenges and opportunities related to COVID-19. Identifies concerns SORHs are hearing from their constituents, innovative rural strategies, collaboration opportunities, needed resources, and concerns related to Federal Office of Rural Health Policy grants and cooperative agreements.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Territory of American Samoa's Response and Action Plan to Combat the Coronavirus Pandemic
Comprehensive plan documenting American Samoa's response to COVID-19. Includes guidance and advisories, as well as an overview of the healthcare infrastructure and systems.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Samoa Government
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The Exchange Feature Issue: Preparing for and Responding to Wildfires and Planned Outages
Newsletter issue focusing on lessons learned by medical facilities and communities in Colorado and California during the wildfires of 2017 and 2019. Covers information useful for rural hospital emergency managers and administration, including mass sheltering, hospital evacuation, managing stress and compassion fatigue among workers, and community recovery.
Citation: Issue 10
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
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Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Community Resilience Building Workshop - Northern Hilltowns Collaborative: Summary of Findings for the Towns of Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, and Worthington, MA
An overview of how four rural communities in western Massachusetts developed a municipal vulnerability preparedness (MVP) plan to improve their resilience to the increased frequency of natural and climate-related hazards. With funding from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, a series of workshops were held to engage the four communities in planning and implementing a climate change action plan. Discusses common community concerns and challenges related to transportation and communication services, power outages, drinking water, and waste management.
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
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After Hurricane Maria - Predisaster Conditions, Hurricane Damage, and Recovery Needs in Puerto Rico
Report details the state of Puerto Rico's economy, environment, education, and healthcare both before and after hurricane Maria. Discusses the barriers to rebuilding various infrastructures across the commonwealth, including in rural communities.
Author(s): Jordan R. Fischbach, Linnea Warren May, Katie Whipkey, et al.
Date: 2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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