[...]... mass prophylaxis dispensing plan Independent of a closed or open POD, a POD may also be medical or “nonmedical.” A medical POD would mostly be staffed by medical personnel, who would primarily be responsible for dispensing medication and conducting medical exams and triage procedures to determine whether cases are in the incubation stage or in need of hospitalization In contrast, a nonmedical POD would... are two types of POD designs, medical and nonmedical A medical POD would mostly be staffed by medical personnel who would primarily be responsible for dispensing medication and conducting medical exams and triage procedures to determine whether cases are in the incubation stage or in need of hospitalization In contrast, a nonmedical POD would be staffed by trained but nonmedical personnel, who would... trained but nonmedical personnel, who would dispense medication and triage as appropriate, but would not conduct individualized medical assessments 4 DISPENSING MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES decision to so in order to minimize casualties; (2) discuss potential innovations, tools, technologies, and frameworks available from sectors outside the traditional public health system; and (3) explore potential public private... threatens our national security and our public health A naturally occurring event such as an influenza pandemic is a public health crisis with national security implications (due to the numbers who might become ill—armed forces, public safety workers, etc.) Therefore, the key is for the nation to plan aggressively to counteract the threat of future public health emergencies, said Dr Gerald Parker, the... countermeasure dispensing from PODs and via alternative mechanisms to their populations Public health planners have used PODs as the major framework for planning countermeasures dispensing, yet PODs pose some of the greatest challenges, including their location, design, operations, capacity, workforce, and a host of other factors Dispensing Medical Countermeasures: Time Considerations The foremost problems... CHALLENGES AND THREATS Distribution of Medical Countermeasures: The Strategic National Stockpile, 5 Dispensing Medical Countermeasures, 6 4 CURRENT PLANS AND GAPS REGARDING MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURE DISPENSING Dispensing Medical Countermeasures: Time Considerations, 8 POD Models, 10 EMERGING FRAMEWORKS, TECHNOLOGIES, TOOLS, AND INNOVATIONS Adapting Existing Frameworks, 18 Public Private Partnerships, 20 Closed... individualized medical assessments 12 DISPENSING MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES The medical POD structure is similar to the way that medicines are dispensed in the absence of an emergency, using trained medical professionals to interact with and assess individual patients Although this model is consistent with current standards of care, medical PODs have several drawbacks, including the need for a large number of medical. .. protection for participation by private partners, communication with the public, WORKSHOP SUMMARY 7 and security around dispensing sites The task ahead is fundamentally important to national security and public health, Parker concluded CURRENT PLANS AND GAPS REGARDING MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURE DISPENSING Under the current system, the dispensing of medical countermeasures at the local level is the final step in... the public against acts of terrorism and other public health emergencies The need for an effective system of dispensing medical countermeasures gained recognition in 1979 after the accidental release of radionuclides from the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania If emissions had been higher, widespread dispensing of the countermeasure potassium iodide would have been necessary to prevent... of the many threats facing public health, anthrax was the primary focus of the workshop discussion WORKSHOP DEFINITIONS, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES With the threat of an anthrax attack as the case study, on March 3–4, 2008, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events hosted a workshop titled Medical Countermeasures Dispensing. ” The workshop was . Medicine (IOM) Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events hosted a workshop titled Medical Countermeasures Dispensing. ” The. ill—armed forces, public safety workers, etc.). Therefore, the key is for the nation to plan aggressively to counter- act the threat of future public health emergencies,