Who Will Show Up? Estimating Ability and Willingness of Essential Hospital Personnel to Report to Work in Response to a Disaster

Abstract

Disaster planning in the healthcare setting requires consideration of surge capacity, specifically the community’s ability to provide care for a rapid increase in numbers of patients having varied conditions. Adequate staffing is a key component of surge capacity. If fewer than anticipated healthcare personnel report to work in response to a disaster, safety and sustainability of the care provided may be jeopardized. In this article we discuss the need for essential personnel following a disaster, review the literature related to adequate disaster staffing, and share our study examining both the ability and willingness of healthcare personnel to report to work during a disaster and identified barriers to this reporting. We conclude by noting that healthcare personnel experience multiple barriers affecting ability and willingness to report to work during a disaster, with responsibility for children producing the greatest number of significant differences. Strategies for addressing these barriers are provided.