supplemental questions were developed by WVPBRN leadership to focus on provider confidence in their sources of information , personal and professional preparedness , site plans , and resources available to them during health emergencies . A four-point Likert scale was used to measure questions related to confidence in access to accurate information and preparedness . This particular section of the survey was placed at the beginning of the CORE Survey , along with demographic and administrative information . Healthcare providers and administrators in WV were targeted and recruited from sites in the WVPBRN , as well as attendees of WV Project ECHO ( Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes ) sessions . However , dissemination of the survey also reached non-members and non-affiliates of the WVPBRN , with their responses requested prior to ECHO session .
STATISTICS
Standard descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequencies of responses to each of the survey questions .
RESULTS
FIGURE 2 : Frequency of Respondents Who Have Experienced a Public Health Emergency in the Past Compared to Those Who Have Not Experienced Public Health Emergencies
Have you previously experienced a public health emergency in a professional capacity ?
No - 121
Yes - 27
120 100 80 60 40 20 0
FIGURE 3 : Degrees of Confidence to Receive Timely and Accurate Information During a Public Health Emergency
During a public health emergency , how confident are you that you ' ll have access to timely and accurate information ?
40
Very Confident
96
Somewhat Confident
A total of 149 subjects participated anonymously ; our membership listserv ( 131 individuals ) plus the additional recruitment through WV Project ECHO and snowball sampling , approximately 402 providers received the survey for a 37.1 % response rate . One hundred completed the survey in the REDCap format and 49 in the Zoom polling platform . The majority were PCPs ( 52 % physicians and 47 % certified registered nurse practitioners , physician ’ s assistants , or registered nurses ) from at least 24 different health systems all located within WV .
The majority of respondents ( 81 %) indicated they had not previously experienced a public health emergency before 2020 . Those respondents who have experienced a public health emergency listed previously significant seasonal flu epidemics , Ebola outbreaks in Africa , and contamination of public water supply as those previous events .
Sixty-four percent felt they had access to timely information , and several sources were found to be trusted among providers , including organizational leadership , the federal government , state and local governments , and professional organizations . Only 13 % of respondents personally felt “ very confident ” in being adequately prepared for public health emergencies , while 30 % felt “ very confident ” that their healthcare site is adequately prepared . The vast majority of respondents ( 89 %) reported their organizations had developed action plans to address public health emergencies .
Sixty-eight percent of participants in the survey felt they had a direct line of communication with local , community-based
11
Somewhat Not Confident
organizations providing health resources . Ten percent of respondents did not have access to these organizations while 22 % were unsure of any contact with them .
DISCUSSION
Not Confident at All
Public health emergencies create a unique set of challenges for community healthcare providers , and the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic is no exception . Clinicians must stay up to date on the latest information and best practices , while contending with patient care and managing chronic diseases . Furthermore , many healthcare professionals — like the ones in this study — have little experience dealing with public health crises in the past , potentially adding to feelings of uncertainty and confusion .
Eighty-seven percent of respondents felt at least somewhat confident in their site ’ s preparedness for a public health emergency and 83 % felt the same for their own abilities . The organizational leadership , clinics , and hospitals play a crucial role in ensuring providers and essential workers feel they are adequately supported and were identified as the most trusted source of information in this survey . 9 , 10 Although every public health emergency is different , there are important themes organizations should keep in mind to increase their adaptability . These themes include the development of effective communication strategies , appropriate prioritization of services , and the optimization of personnel and resources . 8 , 14
2
26 • www . wvsma . org