Introduction

I. COVERED POPULATION AND TIME FRAME FOR RESPONSE The model uses this information to determine the overall rate at which your dispensing operation will be processing patients across the entire affected community.		Return
III. DISPENSING SITE CHARACTERISTICS:
	I. Patient Flow The single most important number for this model is the rate at which patients enter each dispensing clinic. You can set this patient flow rate in one of two ways: A) you can choose a USER DEFINED FLOW RATE if you have one in mind (a good starting point is 150 people per hour); or B) you can let the computer calculate the flow rate if you anticipate having mandatory BRIEFINGS for all patients passing through each clinic. Mandatory briefings are flow-limiting bottlenecks in any dispensing clinic, meaning that patient flow through the entire clinic cannot exceed the rate at which patients are briefed. If you plan to use briefings in your plan, select "N" for User Defined Flow Rate and fill in the boxes provided. Otherwise, select "Y" for User Defined Flow Rate and enter a rate in patients per hour or per minute NOTE 1: Selecting a user-defined flow rate eliminates briefings and briefing staff from all subsequent calculations and will lower staff estimates. NOTE 2: In the communicable agent scenario (e.g., smallpox), additional briefings may be added automatically due to separation of patients for infection control reasons.	Return
	2. Clinic Layout Customization This model defines "stations" as sites of direct patient interaction in a dispensing clinic (e.g., the triage station). Crisis/Isolation Counseling stations would require trained mental health staff ready to provide on-site assistance and referral information for individuals requesting or requiring it. Some communities may not be able to provide this service at the point of dispensing. Testing stations would provide access to rapid pregnancy, HIV, or other types of testing depending on potential contraindications to the dispensed medication or vaccine. While test results may influence an individual's eligibility or choice to receive prophylaxis, it is possible that this activity would need to be performed in a physically separate area. Therefore, choosing "N" for either or both of these stations will reduce anticipated staffing requirements.	Return
	3. Process times A) Slow Process Times: The model will run with process time estimates that are generally slower than those seen in large-scale dispensing exercises in the United States over the last two years. For example, distribution of forms would take 30 seconds and vaccination would take 3 minutes in the communicable agent vaccination model. Selecting this scenario provides a higher estimate of core staff and time required for your campaign. B) Baseline Process Times: The model will run using process times that represent averages based partly on data from live dispensing exercises. For example, form distribution would take 15 seconds and vaccination would take 2 minutes in the communicable agent vaccination model. C) Fast Process Times: These times include 'best-case' scenarios in terms of speed. For example, form distribution would take 10 seconds and vaccination would take 1 minute in the communicable agent vaccination model. Select this scenario to see the "best case" estimate of the number of core staff and amount of time required for your mass prophylaxis campaign.	Return Bottom of Page
IV. EVENT CHARACTERISTICS
	1. Communicable vs. Non-Communicable Biological Agent This model can be used for planning response to a non-communicable biological agent (e.g., anthrax, a CDC Category A bioterrorist agent) or to a communicable biological agent (e.g., monkeypox, smallpox (another CDC Category A bioterrorist agent), or--if a treatment is ever developed--SARS). Dispensing clinic designs for communicable agents must address the risk of person-to-person spread of disease, as detailed elsewhere.	Return
	2.Event Scenarios A) Pre-Event: Your prophylaxis campaign operates prior to the occurrence of any illness from the target biological agent (for example, as seen in the first phase of smallpox vaccinations in the United States in 2002-2003). In this scenario, there is still a baseline level of illness in the community (conservatively estimated at 5% of patients being flagged at triage for further medical evaluation). B) Small-Scale Event: Your campaign operates in response to a small-scale bioterrorist event or outbreak, defined as 5-10% of the population presenting to clinics having direct exposure to the biological agent or exposure as a primary or secondary contact (in the setting of a communicable agent). C) Large-Scale Event: Your campaign operates in response to a large-scale bioterrorist event or outbreak, defined as 10-20% of the population presenting to the clinic having direct exposure to the BT agent or exposure as a primary or secondary contact (in the setting of a communicable agent).	Return

Table of Contents | 1.User Inputs | 2. Overall Model Outputs | 3.Station Specific Staffing

4.Support Staff Calculations | 5.Summary of Model Results | 6.Staffing Constraints

7.Summary of Scenarios | 8.Clinic Flow Diagrams | 9.Sample Physical Layout

10.Customizable Staffing Model | 11.Technical Appendix

USER INPUTS HELP TOPICS