More than 20 years after the terrorist attacks on September 11th, we pause to remember those that were lost during the events of that day. We also recognize the thousands of selfless first responders who have since suffered life-altering complications due to their time spent at ground zero.?
Just as our country was forever transformed, the healthcare industry has also undergone changes as a direct result of the attacks. Below are just some of the changes that have been implemented to build a more robust emergency response system throughout the country:
- The CDC did not fund states for public health preparedness.
- No national stockpile of medical supplies was available for use in emergencies. In 2001, few states had written plans for receiving, distributing, and dispensing stockpiled assets from CDC’s Strategic National Stockpile.
- State and local response efforts were coordinated from an ad-hoc CDC emergency operations center.
- Response efforts had few integrated communications and unified command needed for a large-scale response.
- No secure system was available to share information about emerging health threats.
- No requirements existed in the USA for licensing, registering, or identifying bodies working with select agents and toxins.
- CDC did all tests to detect and confirm the presence of biological threat agents, such as anthrax.
- After the 2001 attacks, the US Congress appropriated funding for the CDC to provide to all states to improve their preparedness and response capabilities.
- CDC’s Strategic National Stockpile ensures the availability of key medical supplies. 100% of states have plans to receive, distribute, and dispense these assets.
- Response activities are coordinated through a state-of-the-art emergency operations center at CDC and centers at almost all state public health departments, and roles and responsibilities are defined for many agencies and jurisdictions.
- Public health departments in every state have established relations and done exercises with emergency management and other key players.
- CDC’s Epidemic Information Exchange (Epi-X) provides a secure, web-based communication system for sharing of preliminary health surveillance information.
- The USA issued Select Agent Regulations to enhance oversight of the safety and security of select agents and toxins and minimize inherent risks.
- More than 150 laboratories in the USA belong to CDC’s Laboratory Response Network and can test for biological agents.
While the effects of terrorism continue to challenge health systems around the globe, terrorist actions have only served to strengthen the health community’s response and readiness, should we face another attack.?
Although we have made great strides to secure our response systems, we cannot become complacent with our progress. Moving forward, public health experts have identified several preparedness issues that are of particular concern:
- Increase the focus on communities and better define and enhance community and local resilience and personal preparedness.
- Ensure a robust state, territorial, local, and tribal public health infrastructure with a special focus on bio surveillance to ensure accurate and complete data collection and analysis enabled by electronic medical and laboratory records, and new data fusion and visualization devices.
- Increase the focus on vulnerable populations that need additional assistance in emergencies, including mental and behavioral health needs.
- Leverage the full range of investments in crucial infrastructure made across the US federal enterprise, including the Department of Homeland Security.
- Improve coordination of public health, health care, emergency medical services, and the private sector.
- Improve linkages between domestic health security and global health security.
- Improve the evidence base for preparedness activities, including measurement.
By making these changes at the national and local level, we can continue to improve our health systems and hopefully minimize the damage done by any future terrorist actions.
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