Facilitator/Presenter
Sharon Medcalf, RN, MEd
Presenter:
Keith Hansen, BS
Sharon Medcalf, RN, MEd, and Keith Hansen from the Center for Preparedness Education (CPE) in Omaha, NE, presented a captivating session about after-action conferences on Thursday at the 2011 Public Health Preparedness Summit. The focus of the session was about how the CPE acted as a third-party facilitator for seven local health departments’ after action conferences (AAC) in response to H1N1.
The CPE staff found that as an impartial third party, they could allow all individuals involved with the response to be active participants in the AAC, and by using a consensus workshop method, the AAC’s could be run more efficiently and effectively. CPE staff designed a survey which meets HSEEP requirements, and CDC and state requests, and then disseminated it to all individuals involved in the response.
The data from the surveys was shared with each local health department, and served as a framework for discussion points during the AAC. After facilitating each AAC, the resulting comments on strengths and areas needing improvement were categorized and delivered to each department, essentially giving all of the content needed in order to write a comprehensive after-action report. Because the CPE is funded entirely by grants, it was able to provide this service free to all interested health departments within the state.
For more information about the CPE process, and how to use it in your jurisdiction, contact Sharon Medcalf and Keith Hansen at the Center for Domestic Preparedness at Center@preped.org.
Connor Scott is a Program Associate on the Public Health Preparedness Team at the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
