YNHHS News Releases

Released August 17, 2005

Connecticut Department of Public Health coordinates statewide emergency credentialing program for health care professionals

The Connecticut Department of Public Health, working in collaboration with numerous health care professional organizations, has implemented a voluntary statewide emergency credentialing system to pre-qualify the credentials of health care practitioners who are willing to assist in the event of a bioterrorist or other public health event. On behalf of the Department of Public Health, the Yale New Health System Center of Excellence for Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response is helping to administer the program and maintain its volunteer database.

Emergency credentialing is a way to identify volunteer health care providers in advance of a large-scale disaster or terrorism occurrence in Connecticut. “An effective emergency response plan in Connecticut must include a way to quickly identify and contact volunteer health care professionals who can care for large numbers of people who are suddenly and unexpectedly injured as a result of a bioterrorist or public health threat,” said DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin, M.D., M.P.H. “Having qualified health care volunteers readily available for participating acute care hospitals will help provide the personnel surge capacity that will be required for response to the event.”

Interested health care professionals - physicians, dentists, physician assistants, nurses advanced practice nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, diagnostic imaging practitioners, clinical laboratory practitioners and mental health practitioners - are prescreened and are required to complete a self-assessment of their clinical skills and competencies.

All emergency volunteers who are enrolled in the program will be provided professional liability and workers compensation protection in a governor-declared emergency as a part of the state’s Medical Reserve Corps.

For more information on the Statewide Emergency Credentialing Program call (860) 509-7152, or email Mary Duley; or call 203-688-5544 or email, ecp@ynhh.org