The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 is legislation aimed at strengthening America’s emergency preparedness and response efforts in their response to disasters, epidemics to reduce public health risk. The bill is essential and will serve both public and private organizations as it addresses critical areas involved with public health, healthcare provision, environmental health, biotechnology innovation, and emergency management. The recent and continuous environmental and health emergencies such as wildfires, hurricanes and diseases outbreaks such as measles and influenza will be the significant areas served by the bill which combines efforts from the public and private sectors in the performance of critical roles to safeguard humanity by saving lives during emergencies of disease outbreaks and natural disasters
Legislative Bill
The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 primary goal are to strengthen the national preparedness and response in the emergence of disasters and outbreaks. Various committees have been formed including the Senate Health Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) and Energy & Commerce committee under the leadership of Chairman Frank Pallone, Ranking Member Greg Walden, and Representatives Anna Eshoo and Susan Brooks. The leaders have shown their commitment to the bill and worked towards its passage by in the 116th and 117th Congress. (Altman et al., 2019). Working towards a stable, prepared and responsive nation with immense ability to ensure stable and consistent funding regulations and overview of emergencies to human safety and protection has been the essential goal and objective of the committees.
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Underlying Issues
The introduction of the bill is based on the occurrences of pandemics and their consequences to the nation as a whole. The foundation is laid on previous events such as 1918; the influenza pandemic seized the lives of almost 40 million people in America (Myers, 2016). The prominence of hurricanes, wildfires, disease outbreaks and acts of terror which have been witnessed in the nation for the last few days have led the United States to remain prepared and increase its preparedness to potential health and natural emergencies. The creation and introduction of H.R. 269 Act in the current times are critical to the maintenance of the American nation capability to react in times of crises in a timely and coordinated manner to future acknowledged and possible public health threats (Berger, 2019).
Background
The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 were introduced in the 116th Congress on 8th January 2019 by Anna G. Eshoo. PAHPA depicts a cross-party effort which addresses public health and focuses on national security to ensure that the nation is in a position to respond effectively and is prepared to handle emergencies such a those witnessed in the past which have caused havoc in the country (Berger, 2019). PAHPA, therefore, address natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires, the emergence of infectious diseases such as Ebola or Zika and other unanticipated emergencies involving chemicals, biological, radiation or nuclear attacks. The nation is always under threat of attack from terrorist groups and other countries which makes PAHPA an effective and suitable plan to safeguard the nation through immediate efforts. PAHPA is not only a biodefense bill, but it presents as well coordinated health approach to disaster y prioritizing the vulnerable population of children, older citizens and people with disabilities (Altman et al., 2019). The policy is comprehensive as it provides liability to physicians and nurses who work in medical disasters. The policy in its preparedness and response capabilities through increased funding and countermeasures.
Stakeholders
The primary stakeholders in the policy include the American Hospital Association (AHA) which acts as a representative of more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems, and other health care organizations (Berger, 2019). AHA also incorporates clinician partners who are inclusive of more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers. The association is also attached to over 43,000 health care leaders as part of their professional membership groups (Berger, 2019). PAHPA stakeholders also include the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) which constitutes the biodefense program and agencies such as the Bio Shield Special Reserve Fund (SRF), the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS whose innovations and creativity will help in maintenance of the nation safety and defense (Myers, 2016).
Other stakeholders include the members of both houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate, the representatives and senators and their staff committed the work and outcomes of the legislation are crucial to the passage of the bill. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Advisory Committee on Children and Disasters are significant teams to whom PAHPA is a backbone as they both work towards the establishment of national security to address the gaps seen in responses (Berger, 2019).
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
PAHPA has its significant advantage as a legislature which ensures national safety and defense against disasters and responses to emergencies. The policy will help strengthen the pipeline and stockpile of medical countermeasures vital to the nation’s safety and protection (Veenema, 2018). The policy shows a commitment to healthy security of the American people through the provision of the necessary resources for preparation of defense against natural disasters and epidemics. The weakness of the policy is rooted in the failure of the Senate to act on time which caused the expiry of the authorization of the bill. The plan also contains a bipartisan and dual agreement which hinder rapid actions and slows down the decision making process.
However, provides opportunities for the elimination of public health crisis especially during the times of emergencies by providing the required funding and resources (Myers, 2016). The policy also provides a platform to address the global emergencies to ensure that the global and local professional have a constant supply of vaccines and equipment for immediate response in times of disasters. The policy, however, faces a threat in terms of the magnitude of the risk that the strategy aims to address. The nature and time of occurrence of natural disasters and diseases outbreaks are unknown which makes preparedness and response to the events challenging. However, the policy aim is to improve the answer by learning from the past occurrences to prevent devastation of the nation’s population.
Impact of the Bill
The effect has a significant impact on the response and preparedness for emergencies. The bill will help in the mitigation of threats by improving response and preparing the nation through training and earning on how to react to natural disasters and emergencies (Berger, 2019). The bill has created awareness on national security threats and risk such as the biological risks which include smallpox, Ebola, and anthrax which have previously caused major havoc in the nation (Ravi & Adalja, 2017). The bill will put in place biodefense and ensure better coordination of healthcare for children, older citizens, people with disabilities and other significant threats such as influenza through its provisions.
Masters Prepared Nurse Leader
The Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse (APHN) is a specialty which has been recognized by the American Nurses Association due to its emphasis on the provision of patient care, development of relationships and delivery of holistic services. Therefore, APHN is crucial in shaping nurse leaders as it provides values and practices such as positive communication, inspiration negotiation, and conflict resolutions in the clinical setting (Altman et al., 2019). Thus, a prepared nurse leader will be in a better position to act and fulfill the objective of the policy in offering services in times of disasters and epidemics such as diseases outbreaks.
Organizational and System Leadership
The development of Advanced Practice Registered Nursing which is comprised of Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Certified Nurse Practitioners, and Clinical Nurse Specialists has been instrumental in the provision of organization and systematic leadership for nurses. APRN has provided structural empowerment through their engagement of medical staff, enhancing support and collaboration in leadership, fostering financial sustainability and regulation of the physician’s attitudes and behaviors (Veenema, 2018). The organization has also been crucial in providing an organizational structure as well as support in career development and opportunities.
Health Policy Advocacy
Nurses engage in health policy advocacy on behalf of their patients daily. The introduction of the bill provides an opportunity for the nurses to participate in the promotion and strive in their efforts to protect the health of their patients by ensuring safety and upholding of their rights. The bill is in line with the first amendment which has been used as a tool of advocacy by the nurses. The policy will engage nurses in health policy advocacy in their goal to ensure that their priorities in health care are prioritized, and addressed by the policymakers (Ravi & Adalja, 2017).
Conclusion
The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 marks a critical phase in the preparation and response to natural disasters and emergencies. The enactment of the policy will help in an address in the current devastating problem of the increased use of non-prescribed drugs in the global market. The increased abuse of opioids and use of drugs for personal satisfaction especially drugs addressed as over the counter have been incorporated in the policy as well as enhancing responses in disaster and pandemic management through the use of advancing technology to mitigate threats.
References
Altman, R. L., Santucci, K. A., Anderson, M. R., & McDonnell, W. M. (2019). Understanding liability risks and protections for pediatric providers during disasters. Pediatrics , 143 (3), e20183893.
Berger, K. M. (2019). Emerging and Enabling Technologies in Biodefense. In Defense against Biological Attacks (pp. 253-281). Springer, Cham.
Myers, N. (2016). Policy making to build relationships: A grounded theory analysis of interviews and documents relating to H1N1, Ebola, and the US public health preparedness network. Journal of health and human services administration , 313-356.
Ravi, S., & Adalja, A. A. (2017). Strengthening the US medical countermeasure enterprise for biological threats. Health security , 15 (1), 12-14.
Veenema, T. G. (Ed.). (2018). Disaster nursing and emergency preparedness . Springer Publishing Company.
