Mass Antibiotic Dispensing: Taking Care of Business A Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and Public Health Training Network Satellite Broadcast and Webcast Originally aired: March 4, 2009 Public health officials and members of the business community are discovering the mutual benefits of partnering to get Pills into People. Bound together by a common goal—protecting the health and safety of the citizens of the community—public health and business are finding new strategies to solve some of the problems inherent in a mass antibiotic dispensing campaign. Both sides of this multidisciplinary partnership have something unique to offer and also to gain in this relationship. For example, when local businesses are willing to dispense antibiotics to employees and their families, the number of people who will report to community Points of Dispensing (PODs) can be significantly reduced. This relieves some of the burden on the PODs and offers businesses the opportunity to protect their employees and maintain continuity of operations. This broadcast will focus on the development of these public-private partnerships. Panelists will discuss methods for locating and reaching-out to businesses and identify significant challenges, possible solutions, and opportunities involved in this type of community outreach. In addition, business leaders and public health professionals will share their experiences in forming these partnerships. Goal To facilitate the formation of partnerships between public health and businesses for a mass antibiotic dispensing campaign Objectives Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be able to: * List two ways that business can contribute to a mass antibiotic dispensing campaign * List two benefits for businesses that partner with public health * Define BENS * Discuss some of the liability concerns for business regarding mass antibiotic dispensing * Identify two resources to assist public health in creating business partnerships * Promote health improvement, wellness, and disease prevention in cooperation with patients, communities, at-risk populations, and other members of an inter-professional team of health care providers by assuring the availability of effective, quality health and disease prevention services. Intended Audiences State and local public health officials, state and local SNS and CRI planners, emergency managers, designated POD managers, and volunteer coordinators Presenters Ruth Thornburg, MA, MS, Public Information and Communication Specialist, EDS, Division of Strategic National Stockpile, Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Stasha Wyskiel, Manager, Business Continuity Planning, Gap Inc. Gene W. Matthews, JD, Senior Fellow, The North Carolina Institute for Public Health John H.H. Turner III, Director and Program Manager, Georgia Business Force, Business Executives for National Security (BENS) Disclosures CDC, our planners, and our content experts wish to disclose that they have no financial interests or other relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters. The use of trade names or commercial sources is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or the Public Health Service. This activity did not receive commercial support of any kind. Presentations will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or the product under investigational use. Views expressed by guest participants are not necessarily the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Legal views offered in this program are the opinions of the speakers and do not constitute legal advice from the CDC or HHS
