VHA Patient Movement Emergency Evacuation

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VHA Patient Movement / Emergency Evacuation
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Goal
Develop an internal capability that could
function, if necessary, independent of local,
State, Federal or private-sector capabilities
during disasters or emergencies.
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Task Force Participants
- DUSHOM (10N) - Patient Care Services (11) -
Nursing Services (108) - Geriatrics Extended
Care (114) - Voluntary Services (10C2) - IT
Project Coordination Services (005B3) - Business
Office (16) - Health Data Informatics (19F) -
Health Project Mgt Office / Enterprise Sys Mgt
(195) - IT Project Coordination Services (005B3)
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Task Assumption

• Evacuate the following within 24 hours from any
  one VAMC, and transport them to (up to) three
  other VAMCs within 500 miles
• - 30 critical patients
• - 100 non-critical litter borne patients
• - 50 wheel chair borne patients
• 100 ambulatory patients

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Findings
Trends in Routine VHA Patient Transfers -
57,000 patients transferred annually in 05
06 - 40M annual cost Current VHA Vehicle
Fleet - 9,615 total VHA vehicles 8 unneeded
(per 07 VHA OIG report) - 78 ambulances 164
buses in VHA (per CARS) Systems Support
VISN 6 16 working software changes to VISTA
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Recommendations
1.  Facility Resources.  Funding for each
facility to procure resources for emergency
evacuations of their buildings. 2.  Systems
Support.  Reconcile the VISTA based patient
evacuation management systems currently used by
VISN 6 and VISN 16, and adopt a standard VHA
system. 3.  Vehicles. Procure a number of
standardized, patient ground transport
vehicles. 4.  Patient Movement Items.  Procure
additional medical equipment to facilitate care
during evacuations.  5.  Communications.  Procure
or lease mobile communications equipment.
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CY-09 Events
Procure PMI Procure Prototype Vehicles Conduct
Exercises in VISN 6 and VISN 8
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Patient Movement Items (PMI)

• 6 Ventilators, Portable (Impact 754M)
• 6 Infusion Pumps, Model 2865B
• 6 Surgical Suction Apparatus (Impact)
• 6 Defibrillators (Zoll CCT)
• 6 Oxygen Analyzers (Miniox 3000)
• 6 Vital Signs Monitors (Propaq 206EL)
• 6 Pulse Oximeters (BCI 3303)
• 100 Litter Sets, NATO Standard
• 15 Litters, Oversized
• 25 Back Rests, Litter
• 10 Carriers, Litter

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Prototype Shuttle
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Prototype Small Bus
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Prototype Large Bus
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Exercises

• Objectives
• 1.  Facility Resources. 
• 2.  Systems Support. 
• 3.  Vehicles.
• 4.  Patient Movement Items. 
• 5.  Communications. 
• Phases
• Evacuate Building
• Stage
• Load
• Transport
• Unload

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VHA Patient Movement / Emergency Evacuation