Resource Center

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Tools


 

Rx Open

Rx Open is an interactive map that shows you all nearby open pharmacies during a disaster.

Rx on the Run

Use Rx on the Run to print a personalized wallet card that documents your prescriptions and other important medical information.

Resource Ready

Resource Ready (a Healthcare Ready Preparedness Tool) is here to help you prepare for and recover from disasters with your health needs in mind. Use this new tool to get a list of resources around the web and on our website to help you and your loved ones prepare for disasters or disease outbreaks.

Community Disaster Resilience Tool (CDRT)

The CDRT is a map-based tool that provides leaders with a holistic understanding of the intersections between county-level chronic conditions, natural hazards, and healthcare infrastructure risks.

Videos


 

The Blob Family and the Streets Smarts about COVID-19

Vaccinations can be scary, but the dangers of not being vaccinated are even more frightening. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is a safe way to build protection against the disease. There are a lot of vaccine myths and misconceptions out there. However, COVID-19 vaccinations can help protect you by teaching your body to fight the virus without having to experience sickness or putting yourself at risk of severe illness. Just like street safety, COVID-19 safety is vital

The Blob Family and the Pandemic Bedtime Story

We understand that some people may be nervous about the COVID-19 vaccines. Fortunately, researchers have been working on vaccines for coronaviruses for years, so they did not have to start from scratch. Everyone should have the opportunity to be as safe and healthy as possible.

The Blob Family and the COVID-19 Exposure

Exposing the dangers of COVID-19 can help keep you and those around you safe. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is a safe way to build protection against the disease. COVID-19 vaccinations help protect you by teaching your body to fight the virus without having to experience sickness or putting yourself at risk of severe illness.

The Blob Family and the Vaccinated Building

Creating a community of mostly vaccinated individuals can help slow the spread of COVID-19. While we know getting vaccinated isn’t always comfortable, you can play a big role to by keeping yourself and your community up-to-date on vaccinations — including the seasonal flu shot and the COVID-19 vaccine. By staying updated on immunizations, we can make sure our continued efforts to fight COVID-19 will keep everyone safe.

Coronavirus: Overcoming Uncertainty

It can be hard to find the best information about coronavirus (COVID-19). Healthcare Ready’s mission is to provide patients with the best resources and information during these uncertain times.

The Healthcare Supply Chain and its Role in Disasters

When disaster strikes, you can count on the healthcare supply chain to be as resilient as the communities it is designed to serve. Through Healthcare Ready’s vast partnership network of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and local, state and federal officials, the supply chain’s ability to anticipate and react to disasters has never been more efficient and effective.

The Healthcare Supply Chain and its Role in Disasters (Spanish)

Cuando ocurre un desastre, puede contar con que la cadena de suminstro sea tan resiliente como las comunidades que esta diseñada para servir. A través de la enorme red de asociaciones de fabricantes farmacéuticos, distribuidores, y oficiales federales, estatales, y locales, la abilidad de la cadena de suministros de anticipar y reaccionar a desastres jamás a sido tan eficaz y efectivo.

Healthcare Ready’s Role in Donations

When disaster strikes and our most vulnerable need help, it takes coordination, collaboration, and a strong network of public, private, and non-profit partnerships to get supplies where they’re needed. Healthcare Ready leverages its unique partnerships within the supply chain to do just that.

Guide to Emergency Prescription Refills Before Disasters

What is an emergency refill? Before a disaster strikes, an emergency refill allows you to get a refill on your prescription medications before your actual refill is due.

Dialysis Treatment During Coronavirus

Having end stage renal disease (ESRD) makes you more vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19. It might feel scary as you venture outside your home for dialysis treatment. You can stay safe by wearing masks, observing social distancing, and staying current with their treatment.

Coronavirus: Shining Light on Fear

Some groups are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to many overlapping factors, such as chronic disease, essential worker status, and structural inequalities. Healthcare Ready shines a light on our fears and illuminates solutions to reduce these disparities.

Prepare Your Health For the Next Disaster

Disasters strike with little or no warning. Tornadoes, hurricanes, pandemics like COVID-19 and more can show up at a moment’s notice. Take the time you have now to prepare for the next emergency and protect your health against disasters.

Supporting Care Transitions for People Living with Dementia

Care transitions can be especially complicated during times of community crisis. This webinar highlights the actions public health stakeholders and caretakers can take to support people living with dementia and other cognitive impairments. This webinar was created in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for CDC’s Healthy Brain Initiative

Resources for Community Health Centers (CHCs)

ARCHER Initiative: Leading Practices for Supply Chain Resilience

Supply Ready: Leading Practices for Disaster-Related Supply Chain Resilience in Community Health Centers” highlights leading practices for CHCs to overcome common disaster-related impacts to the healthcare supply chain.

ARCHER Initiative: Communicating the Business Case for Emergency Preparedness

The case for enhanced preparedness against disasters – natural and man-made – has never been more clear. To garner strategic or funding support for preparedness activities (including investments in tools, training, partnerships, etc.), executive leaders and staff at all levels must communicate the business case for prioritizing disaster preparedness and response within health center plans and budgets effectively.

ARCHER Intiative: Supporting Community Health Center Staff Through Sustained Emergencies

Community health centers stand as pillars among communities that are often hardest-hit during and after emergencies.The purpose of this webinar is to provide tips, tools, and strategies for managers and leaders to support staff and build resilience among their team through sustained or repeated emergencies.

ARCHER Intiative – Tip sheet for Community Health Centers: Wildfires

The purpose of this tip sheet is provide CHCs with tips and resources that can help prepare and strengthen community health centers’ response to widlfires.

ARCHER Initiative – Tip sheet for Community Health Centers: Hurricanes and Tropical Stroms

The purpose of this tip sheet is provide CHCs with tips and resources that can help prepare and strengthen community health centers’ response to Hurricanes and tropical storms.

ARCHER Initiative – Tips for Community Health Centers: Kickstarting your Social Media Strategy

The purpose of this tip sheet is to provide CHCs with information, tools, and resources that can help strengthen knowledge of effective social media strategies, understand various social media channels, and build social media tactics into a broader communication plan.

ARCHER Initiative – Identifying Partnership Needs & Fostering Relationships During Steady-State and Disasters: Tips for Community Health Centers

The purpose of this tip sheet is to guide Community Health Centers (CHCs) to identify partners, assess needs, and foster and maintain relationships before, during, and after disasters.

ARCHER Initiative – Partnering with VOADs: Information for Community Health Centers

This document is intended to provide Community Health Centers (CHCs) with an overview of National and State/Territory VOADs, including a summary of the services they may be able to provide and resources to support outreach.

ARCHER Initiative: Crisis Standards of Communication Webinar

Communicating effectively can be difficult in the best of times. Disasters can make this even more challenging. This 1-hour webinar provides community health centers with tools and strategies to communicate effectively and reliably during a disaster, including ways to incorporate equitable approaches into communications and messaging, strategies to identify changing communications during crisis, and best practices for communications and stakeholder management during crisis.

ARCHER Program: Healthcare Coalitions by Program State

This resource, introduced during the first Emergency Preparedness Planning Refresh webinar, provides community health center staff with contact information for their respective states’ healthcare coalitions. The states listed here are: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington.

ARCHER Initiative: Crisis Standards of Communication Webinar

This training provided community health center staff with information and skills that can be used to improve the systems and protocols that allow their organization to efficiently communicate during a disaster. The 1-hour long webinar provided attendees with information on how to incorporate equitable approaches into communications and messaging, ways to identify changing communications during crisis, and best practices for communications and stakeholder management during crisis.

ARCHER Initiative: Engaging and Strengthening Partnerships Webinar

One-hour webinar to provide community health center staff with an understanding of partnerships in practice, as well as an overview of how to increase engagement with various partners across federal, state, and local public health, NGOs, and private sector industry. The training includes a partnership mapping exercise in which staff identify how current partners support the mission of their organization, and a scenario-based discussion in which staff will retroactively assess how partnerships supported their response to a past disaster.

Engaging and Strengthening Partnerships Webinar: Partnership Mapping Exercise

This exercise, used during the Engaging and Strengthening Partnerships Webinar, is intended to help CHC staff identify who their current partners are during steady state and during an emergency, demonstrate which of their health center’s needs they support, and explain what activities they take on to meet those needs. This exercise can also help staff determine where gaps still exist at their health center, and identify potential new partnerships that could support the needs of not only their facility, but their entire community.

 

ARCHER Initiative: Cyber Security for Community Health Centers

This webinar briefs on cybersecurity measures and practices for community health centers. It provides an overview of the most common cyber-attack that facilities are facing, vulnerabilities to be aware of, and best practices for health centers to adopt in safeguarding systems and patient information.

ARCHER Program: Emergency Preparedness Planning Refresh – CMS Final Rule Part 2

As part of the Advancing Resilience in Community Health in Emergency Response (ARCHER) program, this is the second installment of a two-webinar series focused on complying with the CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule and guiding community health centers and staff on refreshing their preparedness plans and policies following the lessons learned from COVID. It covers implementing plans into a facility’s policies and procedures as well as developing a communications plan.

ARCHER Program: Emergency Preparedness Planning Refresh – CMS Final Rule

As part of the Advancing Resilience in Community Health in Emergency Response (ARCHER) program, this is the first installment of a two-webinar series focused on complying with the CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule and guiding community health centers and staff on refreshing their preparedness plans following the lessons learned from COVID. It covers an overview of the CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule and walks through the key components of developing an emergency plan.

Vaxx Chats – Vaccine Conversations in the Time of COVID-19

The objective of the Vaxx Chat series is to better educate the general public, particularly people in under-resourced communities, around vaccine development and distribution.

Therapies for COVID-19 

Panelists Phyllis Arthur (Vice President for Infectious Diseases and Emerging Science Policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization) and Dr. Mark Jarrett (Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Northwell Health) joined Charles Ellison (WURD Radio) to discuss the science behind FDA-authorized COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody treatments. Additionally, panelist answer important questions about monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutics including how the treatment works, who is eligible, what it costs, and how community-based organizations (CBOs) can help educate and raise awareness about the treatment and access to it. 

Healthcare Ready Nationwide Domestic Preparedness Poll

Each year, Healthcare Ready conducts a Domestic Preparedness Poll to examine major gaps in in the nation’s disaster preparedness and opportunities for continued improvement. This year, we asked respondents questions about COVID-19 vaccines to better understand their willingness and perceived barriers to receiving the vaccine. Healthcare Ready’s Executive Director, Dr. Nicolette Louissaint, discusses the reasons driving vaccine hesitancy, understanding hesitant populations’ reluctance to get vaccinated and barriers to getting the vaccine across different groups. 

How Do We Have a Better Vaccination Conversation?

Panelists Dr. Nicolette Louissaint (HcR Executive Director), Maryland State Delegate Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk, and Dr. Kevin Ahmaad Jenkins (Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and a Core Investigator at the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion) discuss new strategies to increase vaccination rates in the most vulnerable communities, as well as issues of access and trust that have led to low vaccination rates. Panelists explore reasons for low vaccine rates that go beyond a hesitancy narrative, but represent challenges around access and trust.

Vaccine Facts and Safety for Adolescents

Panelists Lisa Schwartz, Pharm.D., RPh (Senior Director, National Community Pharmacists Association), Dr. Carol J. Neil (Professor of Nursing at Florida State College at Jacksonville), and Bayli Larson, Pharm.D., M.S., BCPS (Strategic Initiatives Associate, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) discuss the safety and effectiveness of the current FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, they explore strategies for increasing vaccination rates amongst the adolescent population, as well as getting more parents comfortable with the idea of vaccinating their children.

Vaccine Safety and Development – Part 1

Panelists Dr. Melissa Clarke (Physician, Patient Advocate, and Author of “Excuse Me, Doctor! I’ve Got What?”, and CEO of the BHE Group a health equity and health literacy consulting firm) and Phyllis Arthur (Vice President for Infectious Diseases and Emerging Science Policy at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization) address the science behind the current FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines. The expert panelists also had a conversation about centering health equity, especially in the context of COVID-19, and how it can be applied to boost vaccine confidence and access.

COVID-19 Micro Summit Series:

Completed in partnership with the Council of State Governments-East Council on Communities of Color, with support from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

Advancing Practical Protections through Policy in the Age of COVID-19

Panelists discussed the guidelines, policies, and regulations to use as states were designing re-opening plans in 2020

COVID-19 Communications: Talking to Your Communities During a Pandemic

This session focused on public health communications during a pandemic. It explored tactics and strategies policymakers, community leaders, and advocates can use in communicating risk and safety measures to community members.

How to Protect Yourself While Going Outside

An expert, yet practical session on personal health and safety practices to use in public spaces. What is the simplest golden standard for being outside? What is the correct way to wear a mask? Should individuals wear gloves at all times?

Are You Ready for the Next Disaster? Emergency Preparedness During A Pandemic, Protests & Climate Change

A unique convening of state and local policy makers, experts, and thinkers concerned about the massive equity gaps and the devastating impact of racism on communities of color.

Disaster Tip Sheets


 

Social Media


 

Protect yourself from COVID-19 while you are protesting

This social media graphic shows tips and information on how to stay safe while participating in protests or demonstrations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Protect yourself from COVID-19 when you return home from protesting

After participating in a protest or demonstration, consider these tips to protect yourself from COVID-19 when you return home.

COVID-19


 

There are multiple safety measures available to stay protected as COVID-19 continues to pose a serious health risk. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to continue to wear a mask, social distancing, and vaccination. These actions will limit your exposure to the COVID-19 virus and will further reduce the risk of breakthrough infections. Here are all safety measures to reduce the chances of contracting COVID-19.

According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Covid-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing serious illness and death from Covid-19 and are the country’s best shot at slowing the pandemic down and avoiding further suffering. Highlighted below are some benefits of getting vaccinated as well as vaccination statistics (as of 9/20/21).

These social media graphics answers common questions on what you should know about COVID-19 vaccines for adolescents (12+).

Collaborating with public health entities, like your local county health department, is an effective way of staying informed about what services and healthcare resources are available in your community. Here are four ways to stay informed.
Adolescents are now eligible to receive the COVID vaccine, here are three resources to help you and your family find vaccination sites.
Adolescents are now eligible to receive the COVID vaccine, here is a quick checklist on how to vaccinate your child.
COVID-19 vaccination will help protect adolescents from getting COVID-19. Adolescents may have some side effects, which are normal signs that their body is building protection. Common side effects to expect can be found here.

As the nation opens up and people go back into the office, here are three tips to help you and your co-workers stay safe and healthy.

It’s good to be prepared. Here are six tips to help you respond if a co-worker or visitor tests positive for COVID-19.

Now that in-person gatherings are on the rise, here are three factors that should be considered if you are preparing to host an indoor event or activity for your company.

Download this toolkit to learn how your organization can stay connected to communities while staying safe during this time, especially as you serve your community.

Download this toolkit to learn more about best practices and resources for elected officials to share with constituents and other community leaders as our communities enter the recovery stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This FAQ is intended for community-based organizations looking for information on COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, as they respond to this pandemic. Read below for tips, resources, and helpful links to protect yourself, volunteers, and community members.
This page provides background information on existing COVID-19 therapeutics that have been approved with an EUA. Information is provided for both patients and providers.
This infographic presents the findings from Healthcare Ready’s most recent international poll (conducted in May 2018) on patient perspectives on the health system. The graphic reveals key pre-pandemic insights on how respondents in 13 countries around the world view as the greatest risks to their health (ranging from disease outbreaks to civil unrest) and how they interact with their country’s health systems.

The COVID-19 pandemic puts certain groups at a greater risk for severe illness and death. COVID-19 is especially harmful to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. Healthcare Ready aims to protect these populations now, and during all public health emergencies, as we know the risk is often far greater for them.

This infographic shows a few likely causes of the disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black and Latinx communities. Black and Latinx people are testing positive and dying at higher rates from coronavirus. This pandemic is made worse by existing health and socioeconomic inequities, and in turn, it is worsening those disparities in Black and Latinx communities.

This infographic breaks down key features of resilient communities, in contrast with communities that lack resilient public health infrastructure. People of color usually fare worse in crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, due to systemic inequities made worse by disasters. This graphic highlights the various ways we can harm or build resilience at the community level.

Download this COVID-19 toolkit to learn more about support, information, supplies and resources available from Healthcare Ready and partners to assist patients and community organizations dealing with the effects of COVID-19. (en Español)

Download this COVID-19 toolkit to learn more about support, information, supplies and resources available from Healthcare Ready and partners to assist patients and community organizations dealing with the effects of COVID-19. (en Español)

Download this COVID-19 toolkit to learn more about how your company can work with Healthcare Ready and its partners in providing supplies and resources to healthcare groups, community organizations and patients as they cope with the effects of COVID-19 in their communities. (en Español)

Download this COVID-19 toolkit to help you assist community organizations, healthcare providers, and constituents in staying safe and healthy during this pandemic. The toolkit outlines how you can work with Healthcare Ready to procure personal protective equipment and medical supplies, provide assistance to your constituents on navigating healthcare needs, and how to communicate critical messages to your constituents. (en Español)

Find COVID-19 information including state-level information on prescription refill waivers, tips to protect yourself from COVID-19, and telehealth coverage policies for COVID-19.

Use this map to find information on changes to prescription medication rules and laws in your state due to the current outbreak of COVID-19. 

  • For tips and information on how the COVID-19 pandemic may impact your healthcare and prescription medications and how you can plan for this, read here
  • For information on how the COVID-19 pandemic may impact your pharmacy operations and ways you can prepare your pharmacy, read here.
  • Read the full FAQ here.