The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released the 2017-2022 Health Care Preparedness and Response Capabilities. According to the document, it “outlines the high-level objectives that the nation’s health care delivery system, including HCCs [health care coalitions] and individual health care organizations, should undertake to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.” In detail, the document breaks down four capabilities that, if followed, will allow the health care delivery system to be at full readiness for any emergency or disaster. Each capability is divided into Objectives, which in turn contain activities to complete the given objective.
- Capability 1: Foundation for Health Care and Medical Readiness
- Capability 2: Health Care and Medical Response Coordination
- Capability 3: Continuity of Health Care Service Delivery
- Capability 4: Medical Surge
