Office Readiness, Personal Preparedness, and the Role of the Medical Home in Community Resiliency

On any given day in the United States, most children needing medical services receive care through a pediatric medical home. The same medical home has a critical and underutilized role in disaster readiness, response, and recovery. Pediatricians can effectively help families and children prepare for crisis and address physical and behavioral sequelae after an event. To be available to patients, practices also need to take steps to minimize disruption and ensure their own continuance of operations. Primary care pediatricians can improve resiliency across the community by engaging in advocacy and collaboration with other local groups to ensure that children's needs are being met in disaster.