§515.240. Bioterrorism Grants

The Department shall distribute grant funds from the federal Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to hospitals that apply for these grants.  All hospitals regardless of whether they receive HRSA funds are required to meet the appropriate tier level classification, participate in the Department's bioterrorism preparedness activities and comply with DPH rules.  Each hospital shall use the grant funds to meet minimum requirements for bioterrorism in one of the following tiers.  Requirements are listed in order of priority.  Grant applications shall indicate the level of participation and the anticipated amount of funds needed for compliance.  Grants will be awarded based on factors, including, but not limited to, tier level of participation; community and population served; EMS and trauma center designation in accordance with this Part; availability of other sources of funding; and resources utilized (e.g., number of ambulance providers and EMT training programs).

 

            a)         Tier Level III – Participating Hospitals

 

                        1)         Designate a contact person for disaster preparedness.

 

2)         Have internet access in the emergency department utilizing a computer with at least Pentium 2, high speed internet access of minimum 384 KbPS, Internet Explore 5.5. or greater, to use Department-approved software for emergency department resources and hospital status.

 

3)         Participate in disaster planning and disaster drills on a regional basis.

 

4)         Have reference information on treatment of biological agents on site or post phone number of Illinois Poison Center (IPC).

 

5)         Agree to implement System-Wide Crisis Policy and State Emergency Medical Disaster Plan and provide ongoing education to staff on both.

 

6)         Have functional medical emergency radio communication of Illinois (MERCI) radio.

 

7)         Develop a plan to identify, receive and distribute the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile and/or the State Pharmaceutical Stockpile to hospital staff.

 

8)         Make training in the recognition and treatment of weapons of mass destruction available to the hospital staff.

 

9)         Maintain disaster bags and supplies as outlined in the State Emergency Medical Disaster Plan.

 

b)         Tier Level II

            This level includes hospitals that are not POD hospitals as identified in the State Emergency Medical Disaster Plan.  (The disaster POD hospital is the lead hospital in a specific EMS region responsible for coordinating disaster medical response upon the activation of the State Emergency Medical Disaster Plan by the Illinois Operations Headquarters and Notification Office.)  These hospitals include resource hospitals, associate hospitals and/or trauma centers as designated by the Department.  These hospitals must meet Tier Level III capabilities and the following:

 

            1)         Have communication capability with prehospital care personnel.

 

            2)         Assist with disaster planning and drills.

 

            3)         Have policy on decontamination capabilities.

 

4)         Provide list of staff to POD hospital as part of a Regional Emergency Medical Response Team (REMRT).

 

5)         Resource Hospital Only – Act as a resource for disaster planning and actively participate in the development, education and implementation of the Regional Bioterrorism Response Plan.

 

c)         Tier Level I

            A Tier Level I hospital is the highest level for a bioterrorism preparedness hospital.  A Level I hospital shall be a Department-designated POD hospital as defined in the State Emergency Medical Disaster Plan.  A Tier Level I hospital must meet all the requirements of Tier III and Tier II and additionally meet the following:

 

1)         Identify a disaster preparedness coordinator to work with the State coordinator for bioterrorism.

 

2)         Perform as the lead hospital in a regional or State bioterrorism preparedness exercise.

 

3)         Perform as the lead in planning and developing a Regional Terrorism Medical Response Preparedness Plan, including but not limited to the following: inter-hospital transfers; intra-region transfers; disaster bags; medical response teams; and the dissemination of information as it pertains to EMS system activities and the reporting and feedback of such information for EMS providers and emergency departments within the region.  Identify members of this planning committee, including, at a minimum:

 

A)        Emergency physicians

 

B)        EMS coordinators from Resource & Associate Hospitals

 

C)        Designated contact disaster person at Participating Hospitals

 

D)        Local health department representative

 

E)         Hospital administrator

 

F)         Hospital security representative

 

G)        Physician specializing in pediatrics, trauma and obstetrics

 

H)        Representative from a specialized hospital/rehabilitation center

 

I)          Representative from police, fire and EMS

 

J)          ED nurse manager

 

K)        Infectious disease physician or registered nurse

 

L)         Legal representative

 

4)         Ensure availability of one portable decontamination unit and one other – either portable or stationary – decontamination unit.

 

5)         Maintain equipment and identify staff for a regional IMERT team.

 

6)         Support training and educational programs for health professional staff in region.

 

(Source:  Added at 27 Ill. Reg. 6352, effective April 15, 2003)