ND Health Care Preparedness Conference
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Health’s Division of Hospital Preparedness is hosting the North Dakota Health Care Preparedness Conference, June 27, 2013, at the Ramkota Hotel in Bismarck, N.D. The conference is targeted towards all health-care professionals from around the state including hospitals, long-term care facilities, EMS and public health. Participants will learn about a variety of emergency preparedness and response topics.

Keynote speakers include:

Jerry Rhodes, Director for West Virginia Bureau for Public Health’s Center for Threat Preparedness, will talk about how West Virginia was recently impacted by a unique weather phenomenon that impacted health-care facilities in nearly every county of the state. This presentation will describe the efforts of the state and local organizations to sustain the health-care system during and after that event.

Ryan Smith, CEO of Memorial Hospital Converse County in Douglas, Wyoming, will discuss components involved when preparing for an internal shooting incident, explore ways a hospital responds to an internal shooter, and review methods for maintaining operations during a shooting incident. Smith will explain the results and improvements the hospital, where he was serving as CEO, made after having an active shooter on their campus in 2008.

For a complete schedule, please visit http://www.ndhealth.gov/EPR/HP/hppconference/agenda.pdf.

-Stacy Eberl, ND Dept. of Health