New Book!

GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management

Publication Date: April 21, 2010

With CDROM containing hundeds of valuable resources

Click here to order.

Click here for Book Brochure

Here's what pre-publication reviewers have to say:

“If you want a successful system of emergency management at the local, state, tribal, or federal level, you must utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS)—period! … Ric Skinner has pulled together leaders and scientists from an incredible cross-section of those who are truly involved in the preparations for, and responses to, emergencies. These authors—leaders in their fields—have managed to explain a comprehensive range and depth of information that will prove to be critical to an organization that wants to ensure success in their planning and response. My fervent hope is that those involved in emergency planning and operations will derive invaluable benefits and lessons from this book.” —R. Tom Sizemore III, MD, Principal Deputy Director, Office of Preparedness & Emergency Operations, U. S. Department of Health & Human Services (From the Foreword, GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management)

“GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management provides us the first resource of its kind to guide us as we move towards increased use of GIS in healthcare disaster preparedness and response. It is an excellent resource that belongs on every emergency manager’s bookshelf.” —Angela Devlen, Co-Founder Business Continuity Planning Workgroup for Healthcare Organizations and Managing Partner Wakefield Brunswick, Inc.

“GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management is authoritative and comprehensive, covering all areas of emergency management involving GIS and related technologies, in a readable and accessible manner. The book deserves a place of prominence on the shelves of all those concerned with health/GIS, emergency preparedness, hospital management, and public health response systems. —Omar A. Khan, MD MHS FAAFP, University of Vermont College of Medicine & American Public Health Association (APHA)

“This book should be required reading for every emergency manager. The writing style is engaging and the subject matter draws you in—especially because the content achieves the balance between essential wisdom and stay-up-at-night emergency preparedness concerns. If you start reading this book with a neophyte’s view of GIS, you will walk away with an intense collection of real-world knowledge.” —Hal Newman, Managing Partner, TEMS

“This text by Mr. Ric Skinner, GISP, et al. takes a bold leap into operationalzing the importance of GIS in all four phases of disaster: preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery for hospitals and healthcare. Mr. Skinner and his contributors should be applauded for opening our eyes to the future.” —James L. Paturas, LP, CEM, CBCP, FACCP, Deputy Director, Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response

“As healthcare organizations continue to enhance their Disaster Readiness capabilities, GIS technology will become an essential component of all responses. Ric Skinner’s GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management is an excellent guide to the future of healthcare emergency management.” —James M. Rush, Chief Operating Officer, JVR Health Readiness Inc., and co-author of "Unprepared"

"Editor Ric Skinner is the real deal, one of America’s best minds on the subject of pragmatic GIS applications. In GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management, Ric and the contributing authors have taken a very complex subject and made it understandable for local users who want to improve their response capabilities…. a wonderful addition to the emergency preparedness toolbox." —John J Shaw, DMD, Program Director, (Hartford, CT) Capitol Region Metropolitan Medical Response System and Chair, RESF 8, Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee

Book Purpose: To bring to the forefront the importance of geospatial technologies for all-hazards preparedness, planning, response and recovery in the hospital/healthcare domain. This book will be of interest and value to hospital & healthcare emergency management professionals, health geographics practitioners, emergency management/disaster preparedness students, Homeland Security professionals working in the hospital/healthcare Critical Infrastructure/Key Resources and Emergency Support Function-6 (ESF-6 Mass Care) and ESF-8 (Health and Medical) areas.

Book Editor: Ric Skinner, GISP; ric.skinner@gmail.com
Nearly 20 years experience in Health Geographics and hospital/healthcare preparedness, including employment by a State Cancer Registry, a regional Level 1 Trauma Center, independent consulting to hospitals. (Also over 23 years experience in environmental management, monitoring & assessment). Serves on Regional Emergency Planning Committee, and participated in Joint Chiefs of Staff Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration. Initiated and co-chaired the International Health Geographics Conference held in 1998 and 2000. Co-founder and Editorial Board member of the online International Journal of Health Geographics. Co-editor of book “Geographic Information Systems and Health Applications”. Additional information available at LinkedIn and elsewhere on this website.

Table of Contents

Foreword by R. Tom Sizemore III, MD, Principal Deputy Director, Office of Preparedness & Emergency Operations, U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, Washington, DC

Introduction—The Evolving Role of GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management

I. Conceptual Approaches

A Spatial Approach to Hazard Vulnerability Analysis by Healthcare Facilities

Using GIS to Improve Workplace and Worker Safety Crisis Management

Infectious Disease Surveillance and GIS: Applications for Emergency Management

Role of GIS in Interagency Healthcare Logistical Support during Emergencies

Design Concept for a Location-based Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Tool for Healthcare Facilities

II. Applications

Trauma Center Siting, Optimization Modeling and GIS

Healthcare Facility Disaster Planning: Using GIS to Identify Alternate Care Sites

Multi-scale Enterprise GIS for Healthcare Preparedness in South Carolina

Hospital Preparedness Planning for Evacuation and Sheltering with GIS in South Carolina

Making Sense Out of Chaos: Improving Prehospital and Disaster Response

III. Case Stories

Disaster Preparedness for Influenza at a Community Hospital Network

Disaster Preparedness and Response for Vulnerable Populations: Essential Role of GIS for Emergency Medical Services during the San Diego County 2007 Firestorm

Natural Disasters and the Role of GIS in Assessing Need

GIS Application and a Regionalized Approach for Mass Casualty Incident Planning

Building a GIS Common Operating Picture for Integrated Emergency Management Services and Hospital Emergency Management Response