Preparedness

/Preparedness

Items in the Preparedness category will cover everything from Emergency Medical Services to vaccination programs. This division at ADHS tracks contagious disease, coordinates emergency preparedness activity, licenses EMTs and Paramedics, regulates ambulance companies, authorizes special hospital designations like cardiac care center and Level IV trauma center, issues birth and death certificates, and tracks critical health data through various sources including hospital discharge information.

Do You Know the Difference Between a Cold and the Flu?

By | January 11th, 2016|Preparedness|

Lately it seems like there are a lot of people sick with a cold or the flu. Respiratory viruses often circulate in the wintertime, and this winter is no exception. But when your aunt skips out on a family dinner because she has the flu, is that really what’s making her sick, or does she [...]

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Environmental Cleaning Helps Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections

By | January 7th, 2016|Preparedness|

There’s a saying in the healthcare profession that “one good housekeeper can prevent more infections than a dozen doctors can cure.” Environmental cleaning is critical to prevent healthcare-associated infections. In healthcare settings, germs are present throughout the environment, many of which cause infections. Contaminated surfaces play a vital role in the transmission of dangerous [...]

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Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis: If it’s Anywhere, it’s Everywhere

By | January 6th, 2016|Preparedness|

There’s Tuberculosis (TB) and then there’s Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Compared to TB that is not drug resistant, MDR-TB takes a greater human and economic toll because it requires longer treatment (24 months on average) with more expensive drugs (about $150,000) and significantly increases a patient’s risk of death (about nine percent of patients die during [...]

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Bureau of Special Licensing and Office of Environmental Health Team Up

By | January 5th, 2016|Preparedness|

An estimated 120,000 trucks cross our southern border every year importing fresh produce including tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers to name a few. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 4.2 billion pounds of produce crossed into Nogales, Arizona. A potential stopping point for the produce you eat may be one of approximately 110 warehouses [...]

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Ebola Outbreak Over in West Africa

By | January 4th, 2016|Preparedness|

On December 29, 2015, the WHO declared the end of Ebola virus transmission in Guinea, following up the declared end of the outbreak in Liberia in September and in Sierra Leone in November. This is the first time since the outbreak began two years ago the original chain of transmission has been halted. While sporadic [...]

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A New Mosquito-Borne Disease Threat in the Americas

By | December 30th, 2015|Preparedness|

Just when we were finally getting comfortable pronouncing “chikungunya,” a new viral disease spread by Aedes species mosquitoes has appeared in the Americas. Zika virus, which causes symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes, was first detected in Brazil during May 2015. The virus has since spread to 18 Brazilian states, as well as Colombia, [...]

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One Health and Animal Disease Surveillance

By | December 23rd, 2015|General, Preparedness|

One Health and Animal Disease Surveillance Did you know that many of the diseases that make people sick can also affect animals? “One Health” is the idea that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are tightly connected, and all affect each other. A better understanding of diseases in animals can help predict disease [...]

Vaccines For Children Enrollment

By | December 18th, 2015|Preparedness|

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Here at ADHS, we partner with CDC to distribute these vaccines to nearly 900 private vaccine providers and public health clinics throughout the state. Maintaining [...]

Arizona a Top Public Health Preparedness Performer

By | December 17th, 2015|Preparedness|

Public health preparedness is critical to ensure rapid and effective response to emergencies, outbreaks, and disasters. For the last several years, CDC has released a national snapshot of states’ performance on key public health indicators. As we’ve seen year over year, Arizona continues to score high marks on preparedness. Like last year, this year we [...]

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National Journal Highlights Telephone CPR Efforts

By | December 9th, 2015|General, Preparedness|

The current issue of the Journal of Emergency Medical Services features an article on Telephone CPR written by Dr. Ben Bobrow, our EMS Medical Director, and Micah Panczyk, our Telephone CPR Program Manager. The article titled, “Telephone CPR Can Optimize Bystander Action in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest” is featured in the journal’s Medtronic Philanthropy and HeartRescue [...]

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