Office of Public Health and Hospital Emergency Management (OPHEM)

“Improving the health and wellness of individuals and communities through innovative public health practices and effective emergency management”
- OPHEM

OPHEM Mission Statement
The mission of the Office of Public Health & Emergency Management (OPHEM) is to facilitate Center of Operational Medicine (COM) operations by assuring competencies in Public Health and Emergency Management are shared amongst emergency professionals through education, training, research and consultation, in an attempt to promote best practices, and to improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities, during various public health emergencies, disasters or catastrophes.

 

Certified Hospital Emergency Coordinator (CHEC)

Training Program
The first of its kind in the nation, the CHEC Program was developed in partnership with the State of Georgia, Division of Public Health (DPH), and with the interaction of several state working groups made up of hospital emergency preparedness personnel. CHEC incorporates concepts of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery in an "all-hazards" approach to ensure that hospitals are prepared to provide continued care during an emergency.

The CHEC Program consists of two levels, Basic and Level II, where the Basic course is 2 days, and Level II is a 1 day course. These courses are taught consecutively over a 3 day period; however, you can choose to enroll in one or both courses.

Upon completion of the Basic course, you will receive 13.5 CEUs, and upon completion of the Level II course, you will receive 6.75 CEUs. These CEUs are honored by The State Office of EMS and EMA; therefore, these CEUs are accepted to maintain certification with both offices.

Basic Course Outline	Advanced Course Outline
Hospital Preparedness Program Overview Emergency Management Overview Federal, State, and Local:      The Process When Disaster Strikes NIMS/ICS/HICS Overview Regulations and Standards CHEC Roles and Integrated Response Gaining Support for an EOP Hazard Identification and Assessment      HVA Practical Exercise The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) Emergency Communications and      The Command Center	EOP Basics EOP Development Annexes and Appendixes EOP Implementation Evaluating EOP for Quality Exercises

Upcoming 2013 Courses

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: February 19-21, 2013 in Ft Lauderdale, FL

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: March 11-13, 2013 in Milwaukee, WI

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: April 10-12, 2013 in Orlando, FL

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: May 13-15, 2013 in Roanoke, VA

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: June 5-7 2013 in Bradenton, FL

To register for any of the above Hospital Emergency Management courses, please contact Lindsey Anthony at the Center of Operational Medicine at Georgia Regents University by phone at 678-595-3898 or by email at lanthony@gru.edu for the registration forms.

Course Brochure

Previous CHEC Courses

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: September 25-27, 2012 in Weno, Chuuk, FSM

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: June 27-29, 2012 in St Louis, MO

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: June 4-5, 2012 in Stockbridge, GA

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: April 30-May 2, 2012 in Naperville, IL

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: February 21-23, 2012 in Urbana, IL

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: December 6-8, 2011 in Macon, GA

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: October 11-13, 2011 in Great Falls, MT

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: June 28-30, 2011 in Highland Park, Illinois

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: February 28-March 1, 2011 in Billings, Montana

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: February 16-18, 2011 in Rockford, Illinois

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: February 2-4, 2011 in Missoula, Montana

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: January 26-28, 2010 in Gainesville, GA

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: March 10-12, 2010 in Columbus, GA

CHEC Basic Course: May 25-27, 2010 in Dalton, GA

CHEC Basic Course: June 7-9, 2010 in Savannah, GA

CHEC Basic Course: October 4-5, 2010 at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

CHEC Level II Course: October 6, 2010 at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: September 13-15, 2010 in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: May 4-7, 2010 in Auburn, Maine

CHEC Basic and Level II Courses: October 9-11, 2009 in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

CHEC Basic Course: September 21-22, 2009 at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA

CHEC Level II Course: September 23, 2009 at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA

Maintaining Certification

The Certified Hospital Emergency Coordinator (CHEC) Certification will expire biennially. CHECs are required to submit to the Center of Operational Medicine at Georgia Regents University, proof of completion of a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education credit hours annually (24 hours biennially) to maintain certification. This applies to all three levels of Certification. At least half of your continuing education hours must be from coursework, the remaining half can be a combination of conferences and other professional continuing education. Certifications will expire and be up for renewal on a calendar year (January 1-December 31) time frame. All State approved courses with associated continuing education hours will be accepted, to include the State Office of EMS, EMA, POST, and Fire Academy. In addition, all FEMA Independent Study (IS) Courses will be accepted at the rate of 1 CEU per course. Conference attendance will be accepted at a rate of 75%. All other courses, lectures, symposiums or related training will be approved for CEUs on a case by case basis.

Additional Information
OPHEM serves not only the Center of Operational Medicine at Georgia Regents University, but also various respected private, government, domestic, and international agencies and organizations, representing the complex and ever-changing disciplines of public health and emergency management. OPHEM is committed to excellence in education and training in an attempt to better equip emergency personnel with the necessary tools to mitigate, plan, and prepare for, respond to, and recover from complex emergencies, disasters, or catastrophes in an effective and efficient manner. OPHEM supports the development of strong inter-community, organizational, governmental, and agency relationships; the concepts of all-hazards thinking; the operational practice of improvisation; the ability to perform maximal capabilities via the utilization of minimal resources; and the increase in self-sufficiency and self-reliance during both normal and austere situations.

 

For more information, please contact Lindsey Anthony at ophem@georgiahealth.edu.