Long Term Care Web Portal Project
While working closely with Florida on their evaluation project, both the portal and the partnership proved their usefulness when Hurricane Irma struck in September 2017.
Goal
To evaluate and improve the implementation of emergency preparedness web portals developed for long-term care facilities by examining the interactions between the emergency preparedness and response innovation dissemination and implementation support and delivery systems.
Beginning in 2008, the Long Term Care Web Portal project team began working with public health partners in two states, Florida and West Virginia, to streamline and improve their preparedness-related resources for nursing homes and long term care facilities.
These collaborations led to the development of two online portals of preparedness-related information for long term care facilities: Florida Longterm Care Emergency Preparedness and West Virginia Longterm Care Emergency Preparedness.
Beginning in 2016, the team utilized funds from the Emory Public Health Preparedness Translation and Dissemination Initiative to evaluate and improve the implementation of these types of emergency preparedness web portals. While working closely with Florida on their evaluation project, both the portal and the partnership proved their usefulness when Hurricane Irma struck in September 2017.
The LTC Web Portal Project’s work also proved useful two months later when the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule was implemented. This set of new emergency preparedness regulations were directed at 17 provider and supplier types that received Medicare or Medicaid funding, including long-term care facilities.
Sarah Blake, PhD, MA
LTC Project Director
Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Assistant Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. Sarah Blake is qualitative researcher interested in maternal and child health, cancer prevention, health policy and preparedness of vulnerable populations.
For more information, please visit Sarah’s online profile page.
David Howard, PhD
Co-Investigator
Professor, Health Policy and Management
Professor, Health Policy and Management
Dr. David Howard is a health economist focusing on how economics can be used to better understand physician-decision making and its implications for public health and policy.
For more information, please visit David’s online profile page.
Jonathan Hawley
Senior Research Project Coordinator
Dissemination
Publications:
- Blake SC, Hawley JN, Henkel AG, Howard DH. Implementation of Florida Long Term Care Emergency Preparedness Portal Web Site, 2015 – 2017. American Journal of Public Health. 108, no. S5 (November 1, 2018): pp. S399-S401. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304557.
- Blake, S. (2017). How Hurricane Irma Tested Emergency Preparedness Policy for Medically Vulnerable Populations. Medicare Care. September 22, 2017 Blog.
Presentations/abstracts:
- LTC Emergency Preparedness Project Stakeholders Meeting, Long Term Care Emergency Preparedness: An Overview of Emory University Research, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, June 6, 2016, Sarah Blake, David Howard, Jonathan Hawley, Emory University.
- Georgia Health Care Association (GHCA) fall council tour presentation – 2016 GHCA Fall Council Emergency Preparedness Meetings, Emory University LTC Emergency Preparedness Project: An Overview, (Thomson, Athens, Cartersville, Macon, Tifton, Waycross, Stockbridge and Lagrange), October 26-November 7, 2016, Sarah Blake, David Howard, Jadesola Giwa, Jonathan Hawley.
- GHCA spring council tour presentation – 2017 GHCA Spring Council Emergency Preparedness Meetings, Emory University, Long Term Care Emergency Preparedness Project Update, (Cartersville, Lagrange, Thomson, Athens, Stockbridge, Tifton, Waycross and Macon), April 24-May 5, 2017, Sarah Blake, Jonathan Hawley.
- Florida Health Care Association (FHCA). Annual Conference 2017 presentation – FHCA Annual Conference and Trade Show, LTC Emergency Preparedness Planning in FL, Brief Research Results, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, FL, August 2, 2017, Jonathan Hawley.
- GHCA Summer Convention 2017 presentation – 2017 GHCA/GCAL Summer Convention, LTC Emergency Preparedness Planning in GA: Sharing Session with Emory University, Ritz Carlton Resort, Amelia Island, FL, June, 14, 2017, Sarah Blake, Jonathan Hawley.
Other:
- Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Emory Long Term Care (LTC) Emergency Preparedness Project. Friday Letter. September 29, 2017.
Learn more about the years of research that informed this project:
Visit our online archive
