Hospital Relief Efforts

AHA (American Hospital Association) has created a new Web site where hospitals can register what personnel and supplies they can provide for the relief effort in the South. The information provided by hospitals will be shared with the department of Health and Human Services, which will contact hospitals from which the agency would like assistance.

The AHA is working with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other national and state hospital associations to help coordinate medical relief efforts for hospitals and patients affected by Hurricane Katrina. The agency will mobilize up to 40 250-bed federal emergency shelters to stabilize and provide basic medical care to hospital and nursing home patients evacuated from the affected areas, as well as individuals with storm-related injuries.

In order to set up these facilities, HHS will ask for assistance from the nation's hospitals in staffing and managing the centers.

Individual health care professionals wishing to volunteer their services outside the scope of their hospital or health system can find information and sign-up at volunteer.ccrf.hhs.gov. This is being coordinated by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.