Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T14:20:22.761Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Facilitators and Barriers to Preparedness Partnerships: A Veterans Affairs Medical Center Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 September 2017

Susan Schmitz*
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), US Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, California
Tamar Wyte-Lake
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), US Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, California
Aram Dobalian
Affiliation:
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), US Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, California
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Susan Schmitz, MAIDP, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), 16111 Plummer Street, MS-152, North Hills, CA 91343 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Abstract

Objective

This study sought to understand facilitators and barriers faced by local US Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) emergency managers (EMs) when collaborating with non-VA entities.

Methods

Twelve EMs participated in semi-structured interviews lasting 60 to 90 minutes discussing their collaboration with non-VAMC organizations. Sections of the interview transcripts concerning facilitators and barriers to collaboration were coded and analyzed. Common themes were organized into 2 categories: (1) internal (ie, factors affecting collaboration from within VAMCs or by VA policy) and (2) external (ie, interagency or interpersonal factors).

Results

Respondents reported a range of facilitators and barriers to collaboration with community-based agencies. Internal factors facilitating collaboration included items such as leadership support. An internal barrier example included lack of clarity surrounding the VAMC’s role in community disaster response. External factors noted as facilitators included a shared goal across organizations while a noted barrier was a perception that potential partners viewed a VAMC partnership with skepticism.

Conclusion

Federal institutions are important partners for the success of community disaster preparedness and response. Understanding the barriers that VAMCs confront, as well as potential facilitators to collaboration, should enhance the development of VAMC–community partnerships and improve community health resilience. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:431–436)

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Bashir, Z, Lafronza, V, Fraser, MR, et al. Local and state collaboration for effective preparedness planning. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2003;9(5):344-351. https://doi.org/10.1097/00124784-200309000-00003.Google Scholar
2. Toner, E, Waldhorn, R, Franco, C, et al, Hospitals Rising to the Challenge: The First Five Years of the U.S. Hospital Preparedness Program and Priorities Going Forward. Prepared by the Center for Biosecurity of UPMC for the US Department of Health and Human Services under contract no. HHSO100200700038C. http://www.upmchealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2009/2009-04-16-hppreport.pdf. Published March 2009. Accessed August 10, 2017.Google Scholar
3. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Health Care at the Crossroads Strategies for Creating and Sustaining Community-wide Emergency Preparedness Systems. http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/emergency_preparedness.pdf. Published 2003. Accessed April 21, 2017.Google Scholar
4. Rambhia, KJ, Waldhorn, RE, Selck, F, et al. A survey of hospitals to determine the prevalence and characteristics of healthcare coalitions for emergency preparedness and response. Biosecur Bioterror. 2012;10(3):304-313. https://doi.org/10.1089/bsp.2012.0022.Google Scholar
5. Dobalian, A. The US Department of Veterans Affairs and sustainable health care coalitions. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2015;9(6):726-727. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2015.136.Google Scholar
6. Veterans Health Affairs Office of Emergency Management. http://www.va.gov/VHAEMERGENCYMANAGEMENT/Plans.asp#NDMS. Accessed September 23, 2016.Google Scholar
7. Dobalian, A, Callis, R, Davey, VJ. Evolution of the Veterans Health Administration’s role in emergency management since September 11, 2001. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2011;5(suppl 2):S182-S184. https://doi.org/10.1001/dmp.2011.61.Google Scholar
8. Carrier, E, Yee, T, Cross, D, Samuel, D. Emergency preparedness and community coalitions: opportunities and challenges. Research Brief. 2012;(24):1-9.Google Scholar
9. Toner, ES, Ravi, S, Adalja, A, et al. Doing good by playing well with others: exploring local collaboration for emergency preparedness and response. Health Secur. 2015;13(4):281-289. https://doi.org/10.1089/hs.2015.0003.Google Scholar
10. Dunlop, AL, Logue, KM, Vaidyanathan, L, et al. Facilitators and barriers for effective academic-community collaboration for disaster preparedness and response. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2016;22(3):E20-E28. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0b013e3182205087.Google Scholar
11. Gamboa-Maldonado, T, Marshak, HH, Sinclair, R, et al. Building capacity for community disaster preparedness: a call for collaboration between public environmental health and emergency preparedness and response programs. J Environ Health. 2012;75(2):24-29.Google Scholar
12. Schoch-Spana, M, Selck, FW, Goldberg, LA. A national survey on health department capacity for community engagement in emergency preparedness. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2015;21(2):196-207. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000110.Google Scholar
13. Thomson, A, Perry, J, Miller, T. Conceptualizing and Measuring Collaboration. J Public Adm Res Theory. 2009;19(1):23-56. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mum036.Google Scholar
14. US Department of Education. Collaboration: Key to a Successful Partnership. REMS Express. http://rems.ed.gov/docs/REMSX_Vol4Issue1.pdf. Published 2008. Accessed September 30, 2016.Google Scholar