Emergency and Public Health

About Emergency and Public Health

Our emergency and public health initiative focuses on readiness and engagement to help ensure every hospital maximizes preparedness for health and medical emergencies. By providing linkages to emergency medical services, public health agencies and services like ReddiNet®, our emergency communications network, HASC is building an integrated emergency response system to enhance your capacity to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

HASC Seeks Hospitals for Geriatric Emergency Dashboard Project

HASC is recruiting member hospitals to enhance understanding of emergency care for older adults by participating in the Geriatric Emergency Department (GED) Dashboard, led by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). The GED Dashboard is an online tool used to visualize key metrics focused on older adults who have an encounter at your emergency […]

Southern California Weathers Storm; Safety-net Hospitals Terminated

Weathering the Storm Over the weekend and extending into this week, California encountered record-breaking rainfall, with numerous repercussions for our member hospitals. In fact, here in downtown Los Angeles, we witnessed a remarkable rainfall event, with a recorded precipitation of 4.10 inches. This figure surpasses the previous daily record for February 4, which was 2.55 […]

HASC Welcomes Associate Member Laguna Treatment Hospital

HASC is pleased to welcome Laguna Treatment Hospital as a new associate provider member. Laguna Treatment HospitalAliso Viejo, CAwww.lagunatreatment.comTrace Swartzfager, Chief Executive Officer Laguna Treatment Hospital offers treatment for adults struggling with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders through research-based clinical and support services. The facility provides hospital-based detoxification, inpatient/residential rehabilitation, co-occurring disorder care and […]

Southern California Leaders: Join the PPE Consortium

Overview During the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic recession, high demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) created a severe shortage. PPE prices increased sharply, and medical providers were forced to compete for limited supplies. To better prepare for the next disaster and potential supply chain disruptions, the PPE Consortium has been formed. The workgroup is […]

Preparing for a Potential Virus Storm

Over the last two years, our hospitals experienced significant winter COVID-19 surges. This year, with the specter of yet another surge approaching, we’re also contending with high levels of influenza and other viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus. Additionally, public health officials have warned of increasing COVID-19 cases associated with the spread of new variants, […]

George Greene Discusses Pandemic Response at State of Reform

HASC President and CEO George Greene presented a keynote address with Kim Milstien of Health Management Associates (HMA) at the recent State of Reform Los Angeles policy conference. The two discussed HASC’s forthcoming Pandemic Response and Emergency Planning Report, which studies the Southern California hospital and health care system response to COVID-19. The report identifies […]

Edison Portal Delivers Power-Shutoff Updates

Southern California Edison is now offering a Public Safety Partner Portal that delivers detailed Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) information not available to the general public at SCE.com. Hospital managers will find information provided on the basis of their Critical Infrastructure Customer status.  “SCE’s new Public Safety Partner Portal provides detailed forecasts and outage information to help public safety partners and critical infrastructure customers […]

In the Spotlight: Regina Chinsio-Kwong, DO

Known familiarly as Dr. CK, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong holds a doctor of osteopathy degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona. She currently serves as deputy health officer at OC Health Care Agency. In a podcast supplement to this interview, Dr. CK shared more about her career path and sense of mission for pandemic communications. “We have a role in standing our ground (against misinformation) […]

President’s Message from George W. Greene

After experiencing the lowest levels of COVID-19 since last year, hospitalizations in Southern California have swelled by close to 280 percent in the last month. The rapidly rising numbers, the spread of the infectious Delta variant, and unvaccinated populations are concerning as they signal continued increases in hospitalizations over the coming weeks. Fortunately, CDPH has extended […]

Blood Banks, Hospitals Issue Donor Call

The American Red Cross, and other organizations that distribute blood products, are again reporting critical shortages following another low-supply situation in June. This one, however, is worse and may constitute the worst blood supply shortage in a decade. “Some hospitals may have to delay elective surgeries and other medical procedures if the situation worsens,” UC Health said in a press release last […]