Lessons from the reestablishment of Public Health Laboratory activities in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria

Public Health Laboratories (PHLs) in Puerto Rico did not escape the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. We implemented a quality management system (QMS) approach to systematically reestablish laboratory testing, after evaluating structural and functional damage. PHLs were inoperable immediately a...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Hardy, Margaret C., Stinnett, Rita C., Kines, Kristine J., Rivera-Nazario, Danisha M., Lowe, David E., Mercante, Alexandra M., Gonzalez Jimenez, Nathalie, Cuevas Ruiz, Rosa I., Rivera Arbolay, Héctor I., Gonzalez Peña, Rafael L., Toro, Mayra, Trujillo, Alma A., Pappas, Claudia L., Llewellyn, Anna C., Candal, Francisco, Burgos Garay, María, Gomez, Gerardo A., Concepcion Acevedo, Jeniffer, Ansbro, Marisela, Moura, Hercules, Shaw, Michael W., Muehlenbachs, Atis, Romanoff, Lovisa C., Sunshine, Brittany J., Rose, Dale A., Patel, Anita, Shapiro, Craig N., Luna-Pinto, S. Carolina, Pillai, Satish K., O’Neill, Eduardo
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Nature Publishing Group UK 2019
Materias:
Perspective
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6586791/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31221973
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10776-y
Descripción
Sumario:Public Health Laboratories (PHLs) in Puerto Rico did not escape the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. We implemented a quality management system (QMS) approach to systematically reestablish laboratory testing, after evaluating structural and functional damage. PHLs were inoperable immediately after the storm. Our QMS-based approach began in October 2017, ended in May 2018, and resulted in the reestablishment of 92% of baseline laboratory testing capacity. Here, we share lessons learned from the historic recovery of the largest United States’ jurisdiction to lose its PHL capacity, and provide broadly applicable tools for other jurisdictions to enhance preparedness for public health emergencies.

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