Office of Public Health and Hospital Emergency Management (OPHEM)

“Improving the health and wellness of individuals and communities through innovative public health practices and effective emergency management”
- OPHEM

OPHEM Mission Statement
The mission of the Office of Public Health & Emergency Management (OPHEM) is to facilitate Center of Operational Medicine (COM) operations by assuring competencies in Public Health and Emergency Management are shared amongst emergency professionals through education, training, research and consultation, in an attempt to promote best practices, and to improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities, during various public health emergencies, disasters or catastrophes.

 

Certified Hospital Emergency Coordinator Training Program (CHEC)
The first of its kind in the nation, the CHEC Program was developed in partnership with the State of Georgia, Division of Public Health (DPH), and with the interaction of several state working groups made up of hospital emergency preparedness personnel. CHEC incorporates concepts of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery in an "all-hazards" approach to ensure that hospitals are prepared to provide continued care during an emergency.

The CHEC Program consists of two levels, Basic and Level II, where the Basic course is 2 days, and Level II is a 1 day course. These courses are taught consecutively over a 3 day period; however, you can choose to enroll in one or both courses.

Upon completion of the Basic course, you will receive 10 CEUs, and upon completion of the Level II course, you will receive 5 CEUs. These CEUs are honored by The State Office of EMS and GEMA; therefore, these CEUs are accepted to maintain certification with both offices.

Basic CHEC Course Outline

Level II CHEC Course Outline

Hospital Preparedness Program Overview Emergency Management Overview Federal, State, and Local:      The Process When Disaster Strikes NIMS/ICS/HICS Overview Regulations and Standards CHEC Roles and Integrated Response Gaining Support for an EOP Hazard Identification and Assessment      HVA Practical Exercise The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Emergency Communications and      The Hospital Command Center (HCC)

EOP Basics EOP Development Annexes and Appendixes EOP Implementation Evaluating EOP for Quality Exercises

2009 CHEC Course Dates & Locations

To register for any of the following CHEC courses, please contact Lindsey Anthony at the Center of Operational Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia by phone at 706-360-8430 or by email at lanthony@mcg.edu.

CHEC Course Brochure

CHEC Basic Course: September 21-22, 2009 at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA

CHEC Level II Course: September 23, 2009 at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA

CHEC Registration Form

September 2009 CHEC Registration Form (PDF)

Upcoming 2010 Courses Georgia-Specific Course Brochure Georgia CHEC Registration Form Georgia 2010 CHEC Basic Registration Form (PDF) Georgia 2010 CHEC Level II Registration Form (PDF)

CHEC Basic Course: January 18-19, 2010 in Gainesville, GA

CHEC Level II Course: January 20, 2010 in Gainesville, GA

CHEC Basic Course: March 10-11, 2010 in Columbus, GA

CHEC Level II Course:March 12, 2010 in Columbus, GA

CHEC Basic Course: May 25-26, 2010 in Dalton, GA

CHEC Level II Course:May 27, 2010 in Dalton, GA

CHEC Basic Course: June 7-8, 2010 in Savannah, GA

CHEC Level II Course: June 9, 2010 in Savannah, GA

Maintaining CHEC Certification

The Certified Hospital Emergency Coordinator (CHEC) Certification will expire biennially. CHECs are required to submit to the Center of Operational Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, proof of completion of a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education credit hours annually (24 hours biennially) to maintain certification. This applies to all three levels of Certification. Certifications will expire and be up for renewal on a State of Georgia fiscal year (July 1-June 30) time frame. All State approved courses with associated continuing education hours will be accepted, to include the State Office of EMS, GEMA, POST, and Fire Academy. In addition, all FEMA Independent Study (IS) Courses will be accepted at the rate of 1 CEU per course. All other courses, lectures, symposiums, conferences or related training will be approved for CEUs on a case by case basis.

 

Additional Information
OPHEM serves not only the Center of Operational Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, but also various respected private, government, domestic, and international agencies and organizations, representing the complex and ever-changing disciplines of public health and emergency management. OPHEM is committed to excellence in education and training in an attempt to better equip emergency personnel with the necessary tools to mitigate, plan, and prepare for, respond to, and recover from complex emergencies, disasters, or catastrophes in an effective and efficient manner. OPHEM supports the development of strong inter-community, organizational, governmental, and agency relationships; the concepts of all-hazards thinking; the operational practice of improvisation; the ability to perform maximal capabilities via the utilization of minimal resources; and the increase in self-sufficiency and self-reliance during both normal and austere situations.

 

For more information, please contact Lindsey Anthony at ophem@mcg.edu.