Relying on the National Mobile Disaster Hospital as a business continuity strategy in the aftermath of a tornado: The Louisville experience
Abstract
On 28th April, 2014, a tornado left much of Louisville, MS and the local hospital, Winston Medical Center, in ruin. In the USA, temporary hospital solutions have been used to augment the mainstream healthcare system since the American Civil War. As memories fade, however, the necessary readiness for a temporary hospital also fades, at times leaving a patchwork of resources either underfunded or abandoned. With the creation of the Hospital Preparedness Program, several temporary hospital solutions were created in various states across the USA. In the present case, Mississippi and North Carolina resources were used in Louisville in the aftermath of a direct impact that destroyed the hospital and nursing home. In the hours that followed, after lives were saved and patients safely relocated, a frank assessment confirmed the structural loss of the hospital. Local emergency responders, hospital staff, state and federal representatives all rallied with the aim of saving the community’s only hospital. The steps taken in Louisville and the deliberate restoration of these essential services offer a learning opportunity for all involved in healthcare disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
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Author's Biography
Randy D. Kearns is the Chair for the Division of Healthcare, Computer Informatics and Quantitative Studies in the Tillman School of Business, at the University of Mount Olive. Dr Kearns is a retired Clinical Assistant Professor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine. Dr Kearns earned his master of science in administration from Central Michigan University and holds a doctorate in health administration and executive leadership from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Lew Stringer has worked for the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services since 2008 as a disaster medical physician specialist and project manager for the State Medical Support Shelter and the National Mobile Disaster Hospital. He has been involved in disaster medicine since 1978. Previous positions include medical officer in the US Navy Reserve; assistant professor of anaesthesiology at Wake Forest University; and Respiratory Care Services Director and Medical Director for Forsyth County EMS. He is a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia.
James Craig is Director of Health Protection for the Mississippi Department of Health. His previous roles include State EMS Director and Director of the Office of Emergency Planning and Response. Mr Craig has worked in emergency response and recovery roles during natural and man-made disasters for 38 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology/occupational safety from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.
Regina Godette-Crawford is the former Chief of the North Carolina Office of EMS. She was recognised as the Tar Heel of the Week by the Raleigh, NC News and Observer, was awarded the Pinnacle Award for Emerging EMS Leaders by Fitch and Associates, and received The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society Award in 2015. She has a BS in business administration from East Carolina University.
Paul S. Black is Chief Executive Officer of Winston Medical Center. Before working at Winston Medical Center, he was co-owner of Rural Health Management, Inc. where he served as a consulting controller/chief financial officer for various small rural hospitals across Mississippi. Mr Black is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of administrative and financial experience in the healthcare sector. He has a BA in accounting from Millsaps College.
David L. Andra is a 29-year veteran of the National Weather Service and has previously served as a science and operations officer, a meteorologist instructor for Doppler radar, and as a journeyman forecaster. He was appointed Meteorologist-In-Charge of the Norman, OK Weather Forecast Office in 2012. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association and has BS and MS degrees in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma.
James Winslow is Medical Director for the NC Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). In this role he helps oversee over 35,000 EMS providers, the credentialing of all trauma centres in North Carolina, and the disaster medical system. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine.
Citation
Kearns, Randy D., Stringer, Lew, Craig, James, Godette-Crawford, Regina, Black, Paul S., Andra, David L. and Winslow, James (2017, March 1). Relying on the National Mobile Disaster Hospital as a business continuity strategy in the aftermath of a tornado: The Louisville experience. In the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, Volume 10, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.69554/OYHS6321.
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