Medical Readiness Expert to Deliver Lecture on American Disaster Management Policies at Pitt Jan. 14

PITTSBURGH-In the event of a disaster, the nation's ability to deliver medical support is a critical aspect in saving lives. According to one expert, the United States has an abundance of resources, but ineffective methods in the delivery and set up of medical units hamper response. Analysis and critiques of America's emergency management policies will be the focus of the lecture, "The Road Less Taken: Modularization and Waterways as a Domestic Disaster Response Mechanism," at 3 pm Jan. 14, 532 Alumni Hall, 4227 Fifth Ave., Oakland.

The event is the fifth installment of the University of Pittsburgh Center for National Preparedness' 2009-10 Seminar Series. A reception will follow the talk. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is recommended. For more information or to register, visit www.cnp.pitt.edu or call 412-624-9416.

The lecture will be delivered by Donald A. Donahue, a senior fellow and executive director of the Center for Health Policy and Preparedness at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies in Arlington, Va. Donahue will discuss current contingency strategies and factors that could make those plans inadequate in real-world situations. He also will argue for institution-wide policy changes in the nation's disaster management system.

With more than 33 years experience as a healthcare administrator in the military and the private sectors, Donahue is an expert in medical readiness and homeland security medical operations. He has served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and as the Deputy Surgeon and Medical Operations Officer for the Army Reserve. He has held such notable positions as vice president for department of defense programs with Comprehensive Health Services, a national workforce health management firm; vice president of Jefferson Consulting Group, a Washington D.C. based consulting firm; and senior vice president for Logistics Health Inc., a Wisconsin-based health services firm.

Donahue has had wide-reaching influence in establishing emergency medical policies in the United States. He was principal planner for the Department of Defense's anthrax and smallpox immunization programs, authored the first Joint Forces Command Model for medical response to domestic weapons of mass destruction incidents and natural disasters, created the Joint/Interagency Civil Support Training Center in New Jersey, and established the Federal Strategic Health Alliance (FEDS_HEAL), a $170 million medical readiness support system composed of assets of the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services.

Pitt's CNP is a broad, multidisciplinary collaborative enterprise that engages the University's scientists, engineers, policy experts, and clinical faculty. Members of the center possess expertise in biomedical research, public health, medicine, national security policy, engineering, and information technology. The center communicates the innovative research of the University's faculty to the broader public through educational and training programs, including this seminar series.

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