V. Concept of Operations
A. Establish Partnerships with Emergency/Disaster Management Agencies
Red Cross
Fire Department
Harris County /City Emergency Management
Harris County Medical Society
Police Department
National Guard
B. Establish Emergency Response Eye Team Database
Ophthalmologists
Community Ophthalmologists (note practice specialty)
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (including residents)
Baylor College of Medicine (including residents)
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (including residents)
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Optometrists
University of Houston School of Optometry (including optometry students)
Community optometrists
Volunteers
Lions Clubs
Prevent Blindness Visionaries
Pre-optometry Club Volunteers
3rd Year Optometry Students (University of Houston College of Optometry)
Prevent Blindness Houston and State Staff
Prevent Blindness Board of Directors
C. Credentialing
Medical volunteers will be certified before being placed on call list
Ophthalmologists: Texas state license
Optometrists: Texas state license
Volunteers
PBT training certificate for vision screeners
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
Certified Ophthalmic Technician
Lions Club Training certificate
Certification of enrollment in ophthalmology residency, fellowship
Certification of enrollment in Optometry School program
Licensed medical professional (nurse, state license)
D. Letters of Understanding and Participation
To be signed by all participating individuals and institutions
PBT attorney to help draft the document
PBT to merge, mail and record in online database file; PBT set up and to keep files
Badges for credentialed care givers
E. Emergency Plan Concept
PBT/HOS/UHCO intends to support an eye care disaster response in the counties of the Greater Houston Area.
The Eye Care Disaster Team Response Coordinator may be notified by City of Houston, Harris County Emergency Management, or other authority of an actual or impending disaster requiring eye services.
Physicians will also be notified through the Harris County Medical Society, which contacts the presidents of the subspecialty societies such as the Houston Ophthalmological Society.
On behalf of the Houston Ophthalmological Society, Prevent Blindness Texas, and UHCO, the person serving in the position of Emergency Response Coordinator will ensure the deployment of appropriate equipment, medications, supplies, health care volunteers and PBT personnel to meet the immediate eye needs of the victims and workers.
The organizations will initially establish an operations center in a shelter or location deemed appropriate and safe by City/County officials.
PBT/HOS/UHCO will collaborate with local emergency management, other voluntary agencies and other community-based organizations in order to best serve disaster clients and emergency workers.
If the demands of the disaster exceed the resources of the local organizations, they will request additional resources from the medical community in the State of Texas.
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