HAP's Latest News

While we’ve always been able to count on our flu strategies, here comes the curveball. COVID-19 has changed the landscape for infectious disease planning, mitigation, and response. Interest in public health is at an all-time high as people seek out information to make health decisions from reliable and not-so-reliable sources. This winter, hospitals could face a potential flu epidemic on top of their COVID-19 caseloads.

A simple fact that’s true for all emergency managers: how we use our time between emergencies determines our success during the next one.

With the General Assembly’s return next week, HAP is urging lawmakers to protect pandemic-era reforms that have supported all Pennsylvanians.

Emergency Management, just as other professional jobs in the U.S., is experiencing resource and talent shortages. The perceived value of emergency management has never been higher, which may be adding to the potential resource shortage as is the fact that many facilities are looking to build new or augment existing capabilities. 

We’re always thinking about the worst-case scenarios, whether it’s the generator system that won’t come back online or the wildfire that’s creeping closer to our facility. Part of our job as emergency management professionals is to prepare for situations we hope never come to pass. 

Pennsylvania emergency officials warned of significant flash flooding and weather damage from the remnants of Hurricane Ida and urged Pennsylvanians to stay home today.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our health care system in many ways, but it also has reinforced important lessons about supply chains.

HAP Emergency Management Weekly Briefing for Wednesday, August 11, 2021.

Whether accommodating additional attendance at a regularly scheduled event or responding to new events that are popping up, it’s important for hospital emergency managers to be tuned in to mass gathering events in their community and plan accordingly. More than ever—as we carefully monitor the spread of the Delta variant—we know that we need to prepare for these events, and that our emergency managers will play an important role to make sure our communities are ready.

The summer is upon us, and with that comes the increasing likelihood of severe weather. As storms swirl this summer, we know that our hospitals will remain open—and that we need to prepare for a host of weather-related emergencies.