News Releases

ASPR Emergency Preparedness Funds Support Healthcare Coalition Conference

The Northeast Ohio (NEO) Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Healthcare Coalition Conference on emergency preparedness was held Friday, June 9 at Auburn Career Center in Painesville, Ohio.

The Center for Health Affairs’ emergency preparedness experts Beth Gatlin, RN, MA-HSM, ASPR project director and Andrea Bishop, BSN, emergency preparedness project manager, designated ASPR hospital preparedness funds and worked with a planning committee to present this annual healthcare coalition conference.

Nearly 50 attendees from emergency medical services, emergency management agencies, public health services, hospitals and more gathered to hear from this year’s healthcare coalition conference presenters.

• Charles Berner, DDS, co-Commander, OMORT, who spoke on disaster relief.
• Joan Papp, MD, medical director, Project DAWN, who presented on combatting the opioid epidemic in Northeast Ohio.
• Ryan Macfarlane, supervisory special agent, Cyber Squad 1, Cleveland FBI, who shared information about cyber security.
• Jennifer Hanrahan, DO, chair, infectious disease control, MetroHealth Medical Center, who provided insight on emerging pathogens of concerns.

“This conference allows all of the essential stakeholder groups to get together annually to discuss and share best practices about issues relevant to our healthcare coalition preparedness,” said Gatlin. “It’s always a beneficial experience."

For more information on the NEO MMRS Healthcare Coalition Conference on emergency preparedness, contact us.