Module 3
Point of Dispensing (POD)
Mary Cook
Public Health Emergency
Preparedness Coordinator
Point of Dispensing (POD)
Module 3
Learning Objectives
• Describe SNS resources
• Describe the purpose of a
POD.
• Describe the POD
management structure.
• Describe POD staff roles.
• Describe the phases of POD
operations.
Strategic National Stockpile
Purpose
• Maintained by
CDC/DSNS
• Pharmaceuticals,
supplies & equipment
• Delivered to site of
national emergency
• Supports public
health response
operations
– Bioterrorism
– Naturally occurring
disease
– Natural disasters
– Industrial accidents
SNS Countermeasures
• Pharmaceuticals
–
–
–
–
–
Medicines
Vaccines
Antitoxins
Antidotes
Radiation
countermeasures
• Supplies & Equipment
–
–
–
–
IV administration
Airway management
Wound care
Burn & blast care
• Federal Medical
Stations (FMS)
Public Health Threats
• Bioterrorism
(Category A agents)
– Anthrax
– Botulism
– Smallpox
• Naturally occurring
diseases
• Natural disasters
• Industrial accidents
Medical materiel from the SNS were
deployed to New Hampshire during the
H1N1 Pandemic.
Which of these public health threat would
require the fastest response?
SNS Capabilities
SNS Warehouse
12-Hour Push Packages
• Threat is ill-defined
(Anthrax)
• Broad spectrum
resources needed
• 130 containers, 50 tons
• Fits in cargo aircraft
• 500,000 10-day antibiotic
regimens
POD Purpose
• Public health
emergency service
location
• Prevent exposure or
treat disease
outbreak
• Managed locally or
regionally
• Occurs over phases
of operations
• A POD is NOT
designed to:
– Provide services found
at a healthcare facility
– Provide extensive
treatment or
evaluation
POD Management
• Advanced ICS Training
• Field operations experience
• Fire/EMS or Public Health
background
• Security operations
planning experience
• Law enforcement
personnel
• Knowledge of
facility
• Facility manager or
custodian
POD Manager
Security
Officer
Facility Officer
Clinical Group
Supervisor
Liaison Officer
• Knowledge of
community assets
• Resource
coordination
experience
Safety Officer
• Knowledge of health
& workplace safety
• Infection control
practitioner
Non-Clinical
Group
Supervisor
Workforce
Support
Group
Different colored vests are used to easily identify
POD staff by their assigned role or function.
POD Clinical Group
Clinical Group
Supervisor
Separate
symptomatic from
asymptomatic
Assess complex
medical conditions
Provide basic aid &
medical transport
Triage Unit
Health
Education
Unit
Orient clients to
threat &
countermeasure
Screening
Unit
Behavioral
Health Unit
Provide support,
assessment & referral
First Aid Unit
Dispensing
Unit
Dispense
medications or
administer vaccines
POD staff receive a Job Action Sheet (JAS) that
describes their assigned role.
POD Non-Clinical Group
Non-Clinical
Group
Supervisor
Welcomes & orients
clients to POD
Greeting Unit
Registration
Unit
Supports client form
completion
Monitors & maintains
client flow
Clinic Flow
Support Unit
Data Entry
Unit
Enters client data (if
applicable)
Provides clients with
further care
instructions
Discharge
Unit
POD Workforce Support Group
Workforce
Support Group
Supervisor
Ensures
communications
within POD & to
external
agencies
Communications
Unit
Supports POD
staff &
documents shift
changes
Staffing
Resources Unit
Inventory
Management
Unit
Maintains &
distributes
supplies to POD
stations
POD Response Phases
Situation Awareness
Situation Development
Activate POD
Operate POD
Deactivate POD
Recovery
SITUATION AWARENESS
Identify threat &
population
Specify
countermeasure
& timeline
Assess local
inventories
Request SNS
OBJECTIVES
•
•
•
Maintain and activate systems to monitor
unusual health activity
Determine need for response activation
Activate appropriate response plans based
on the required capabilities
In situations where a countermeasure is not
available, a control measure (hand washing,
social distancing) may be recommended.
SITUATION AWARENESS
Identify threat &
population
Specify
countermeasure
& timeline
Assess local
inventories
TASKS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify the agent or cause of the incident
Determine the severity of the incident
Identify the location of the incident
Identify the number of people affected
Collect and analyze medical & demographic
data
Identify functional & access needs
Request SNS
SITUATION AWARENESS
Identify threat &
population
Specify
countermeasure
& timeline
Assess local
inventories
TASKS
•
•
•
•
Identify the countermeasure(s) needed
Identify the supplies needed
Determine dispensing timeline
Identify staff needed to meet dispensing
requirements
Request SNS
SITUATION AWARENESS
Identify threat &
population
Specify
countermeasure
& timeline
Assess local
inventories
TASKS
•
•
•
Assess local countermeasure inventories
Request countermeasures from Strategic
National Stockpile (SNS) if needed
Activate appropriate incident management
authorities (SEOC/MACE/LEOC)
Request SNS
SITUATION DEVELOPMENT
Develop Incident
Action Plan (IAP)
Review Legal &
Liability Issues
OBJECTIVES
•
•
Review POD plan(s) and develop an
incident-specific action plan
Transition the Incident Action Plan to the
POD management team
Transition IAP to
POD Management
SITUATION DEVELOPMENT
Develop Incident
Action Plan (IAP)
Review Legal &
Liability Issues
Transition IAP to
POD Management
TASKS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Select dispensing modalities & methods
Select POD site(s)
Determine client flow & throughput rate
Develop POD policies & guideline
Plan for functional & access needs
Mobilize POD resources needed to meet
dispensing objectives
Evaluate the following policy statement: “No
media are allowed in the dispensing area.”
SITUATION DEVELOPMENT
Develop Incident
Action Plan (IAP)
Review Legal &
Liability Issues
TASKS
•
•
•
•
Review Public Health Incident Declaration
Review Public Health Emergency
Declaration
Review personnel & volunteer liability
Review workers’ compensation
Transition IAP to
POD Management
SITUATION DEVELOPMENT
Develop Incident
Action Plan (IAP)
Review Legal &
Liability Issues
Transition IAP to
POD Management
TASKS
•
•
•
Brief POD management team(s) on incident
Brief POD management team(s) on IAP
Prepare POD management team(s) for
deployment
ACTIVATE POD
Activate
site(s), staff &
resources
Set-up site(s)
Receive &
store SNS
Dispense to
staff & families
OBJECTIVES
•
•
•
•
•
•
Implement the IAP for POD operations
Mobilize and brief POD staff; assign POD
staff roles
Mobilize, receive & stage POD resources
Secure facility and set-up POD site
Dispense to essential personnel & priority
groups (if indicated)
Prepare site and staff to open the POD
Announce
POD locations
to public
ACTIVATE POD
Activate
site(s), staff &
resources
Set-up site(s)
Receive &
store SNS
Dispense to
staff & families
TASKS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Notify the facility of POD activation
Activate POD security plan
Develop tactical plan
Provide identification to staff & volunteers
Assign roles to staff & volunteers
Brief & train staff & volunteers
Announce
POD locations
to public
ACTIVATE POD
Activate
site(s), staff &
resources
Set-up site(s)
Receive &
store SNS
Dispense to
staff & families
Announce
POD locations
to public
TASKS
•
•
•
•
Secure SNS resources
Distribute resources to the appropriate
stations
Dispense to staff & families prior to opening
(if indicated)
Announce POD locations using multiple
communication methods
In certain scenarios, Law Enforcement may be
needed to maintain security of SNS resources.
OPERATE POD
Dispense to
target
population
Open site(s)
Monitor
operations
Adjust
operations
& staffing
OBJECTIVES
•
•
•
•
•
Provide safe & efficient services to all clients
Monitor & maintain staff morale & wellness
Monitor supplies & request resupply (as
needed)
Execute smooth shift transitions
Submit shift reports to the LEOC/MACE
Report on
POD
operations
OPERATE POD
Dispense to
target
population
Open site(s)
Monitor
operations
Adjust
operations
& staffing
TASKS
•
•
•
Implement shift schedule & maintain use of
ICS
Administer countermeasures to POD clients
Assess client flow and dispensing model
Report on
POD
operations
OPERATE POD
Dispense to
target
population
Open site(s)
Monitor
operations
TASKS
•
•
•
•
Monitor staff for fatigue & stress
Monitor supplies & request resupply
Conduct shift change
Submit shift and operations report
Adjust
operations
& staffing
Report on
POD
operations
DEACTIVATE POD
Return supplies
Dispose of
medical waste
Demobilize staff
& facility
OBJECTIVES
•
•
•
•
Coordinate closure of POD site(s) with
LEOC/MACE
Inventory and repack POD supplies
Return POD supplies to appropriate
authorities
Return POD site(s) to original condition and
use
Report adverse
events
DEACTIVATE POD
Dispose of
medical waste
Return supplies
Demobilize staff
& facility
TASKS
•
•
•
Close POD to public & announce alternate
sources for countermeasure
Inventory & repackage unused resources
Dispose of medical waste following clinical
protocols
Report adverse
events
DEACTIVATE POD
Dispose of
medical waste
Return supplies
Demobilize staff
& facility
TASKS
•
•
•
•
Debrief staff & collect feedback for
improvement planning
Provide staff with behavioral health support
or aftercare
Clean-up POD site & return it to original use
Report on any adverse events related to
countermeasure dispensing
Report adverse
events
RECOVERY
Maintain
dispensing
availability
Maintain
behavioral
supports
Develop After
Action Report
(AAR)
OBJECTIVES
•
•
Complete forms for calculation of expenses
& reimbursement
Participate in recovery & after action
activities
Calculate &
report expenses
RECOVERY
Maintain
dispensing
availability
Maintain
behavioral
supports
Develop After
Action Report
(AAR)
TASKS
•
•
Coordinate with the public health &
healthcare systems to initiate & maintain
post-event countermeasure dispensing
Coordinate with the behavioral health
system to initiate & maintain post-event
behavioral health support
Calculate &
report expenses
RECOVERY
Maintain
dispensing
availability
Maintain
behavioral
supports
Develop After
Action Report
(AAR)
TASKS
•
•
Conduct an After Action Review & develop
an improvement plan
Calculate expenses & seek reimbursement
(if available)
Calculate &
report expenses
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