MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
AND
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF OHIO / MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITALS
Purpose
This Memorandum of Understanding establishes procedures and policies that will guide the parties hereto in the development and use of medical response units for joint disaster relief operations of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)
The National Disaster Medical System
A national emergency, whether from earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, industrial accidents, terrorist attacks or a conventional military conflict, could rapidly overwhelm the health care resources of any particular area of the nation. The possibility of such a mass casualty emergency in the United States, no matter how remote, requires a coordinated response of the nation's health care system. For this reason the Federal government has established the NDMS to assist in the delivery of health care for victims of incidents that exceed the medical care capability of an affected State, region or Federal health care system.
The NDMS program is a joint effort of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Defense (DoD), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and each manages a particular component of the system.
The NDMS is designed to provide medical aid in the form of medical response units, a medical evacuation system, and a network of hospitals that have agreed in advance to accept patients in the event of such a mass casualty emergency.
The goal of NDMS is to create a medical mutual aid system that links existing medical resources into a national network of medical care. To this end, NDMS plans to develop mutual aid alliances with public and private sector organizations throughout the Nation in an effort to coordinate the development and use of disaster medical resources for national emergencies.
Parties to the Agreement
U.S. Public Health Service
In major disasters or emergencies, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), a component of HHS, has the responsibility to provide Federal medical and public health assistance. On a day-to-day basis, PHS, through its agencies or Regional Offices, may provide technical advice and short-term assistance to State and local health officials upon request, regardless of the magnitude of the incident.
The PHS is the agency responsible for developing the medical response component of NDMS.
Medical College of Ohio / Medical College Hospitals
The Medical College of Ohio (MCO) is a state supported health sciences center chartered in 1964 in accordance with the provisions of the Ohio Revised Code. The Medical College Hospitals are the clinical services subsidiary of MCO, and provide a full range of health care services to the citizenry of Ohio and southeastern Michigan.
The MCHs, through its sponsorship of local Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, intends to foster the development of disaster medical response capability in the State of Ohio and to support the NDMS Program in national emergencies.
Role and Responsibilities of the Medical College of Ohio / Medical College Hospitals
The Medical College of Ohio / Medical College Hospitals (MCO / MCHs) agrees to:
The unit or team(s) will function under the day to day control and supervision of the MCO/MCHs. In the event of a State or local emergency, the MCO/MCHs may make the unit or team(s) available to the State or local agency responsible for disaster medical services, under the terms and conditions of applicable state law and of agreements it may negotiate with the appropriate state and local governments.
In the event of a major disaster or a national security emergency, and upon request from the PHS, the MCO/MCHs agrees to release the unit or team(s) and its members from MCO/MCHs control to PHS. At that time the unit or team members will become Federal employees. The MCO/MCHs agrees that at that time the MCO/MCHs will have no control and will exercise no authority over the unit or team(s) or its members during any period of temporary Federal service. Following such Federal service, the unit or team(s) will be returned to the control and authority of the MCO/MCHs.
Role and Responsibilities of the Public Health Service (PHS)
The PHS agrees to:
When disengaged form the MCO/MCHs and activated for temporary Federal service, all of the volunteer participants of units and team(s) will function as PHS employees under the management and
supervisory control of a designated Federal official. While in Federal service, unit and team members will have the same protection against personal liability as other PHS employees for actions taken within the scope of their federal employment.
References
The medical response component is established under the combined authorities of section 311(c) of the PHS Act (42 USC 243(s)), Executive Order 12656, and the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-288) and is administered by PHS.
The organization, personnel, and function of NDMS Clearing and Staging Units and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, as those terms are used herein, are described in the Disaster Medical Assistance Team Organization Guide, Report NDMS-86/1, July 25, 1986 (the "NDMS Guide").
Effective Date, Modification, and Termination
This MOU becomes effective on the date of the last party's signature. It may be amended by agreement of the parties or terminated by either party upon thirty days' written notice to the other.
For the Medical College of Ohio / Medical College Hospitals
Signature appears here Frank S. MuCullough, M.D. Vice President for Clinical Affairs & Medical Director Date: 04/24/94
For the U.S. Public Health Service
Signature appears here Thomas P. Reutershan, Director National Disaster Medical System Date: 04/21/94