Hospital Preparedness Academy 2026 – Nine-part Virtual Series
Contact an Expert
Kara Amann
Director of Hospital Preparedness Programs
- Send an Email
- 573-893-3700| ext. 1402
Event Details
Audience
Early to mid-career hospital emergency preparedness professionals and staff on hospital emergency management committees
Series Overview
The Hospital Preparedness Academy is a comprehensive training series designed to build the capabilities of hospital emergency preparedness professionals across all phases of emergency management. Through nine targeted sessions, participants will explore regulatory frameworks, risk assessment methodologies, planning tools, clinical and infrastructure considerations, technology systems and collaborative strategies.
Series Objectives
By the end of the Hospital Preparedness Academy, participants will be able to:
- understand and apply key regulatory requirements and foundational components of hospital emergency preparedness programs
- develop and implement core emergency management plans, including risk assessments, emergency operations, communications and continuity of operations
- integrate clinical preparedness, technology tools, infrastructure resilience, collaborative relationships and responder wellness strategies into hospital emergency planning and response
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Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a.m., except for Session 1, which will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Session 1
Tuesday, Feb. 10 (9-10:30 a.m.)
Preparedness Fundamentals: Regulations and Understanding Risks as the Foundation to Your ProgramSession Overview
This foundational session introduces participants to the key elements of hospital emergency preparedness. The course explores the regulatory framework that governs emergency management in health care settings, including both federal and state mandates. Special attention is given to the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule and its impact on hospital policies and procedures. Participants also will gain insight into the essential components of a comprehensive emergency preparedness program, equipping them with the knowledge to support compliance and resilience in their organizations.
Session Objectives
- identify key federal and state regulations that influence hospital emergency preparedness programs
- describe the core components of a hospital emergency preparedness program
Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP
Vice President of Safety and Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Kara Amann, MPA, CHEP
Director of Hospital Preparedness Programs
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Carolyn Wells, MSN, R.N. CEN, CHEP
Trauma and Emergency Preparedness Manager
Liberty Hospital
Liberty, Mo.
Session 2
Tuesday, Feb. 17
Emergency Operations Plan: Building a FrameworkSession Overview
This session provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the Emergency Operations Plan and its role within a hospital’s emergency management program. Emphasis will be placed on the development of policies and procedures based on risk assessments, the importance of documentation and the integration of core response elements. Participants will explore how the EOP supports an all-hazards approach and ensures operational continuity during emergencies.
Session Objectives
- describe the purpose and structure of an EOP in the hospital setting
- identify the core elements and critical areas addressed in the EOP
- understand the importance of documentation in maintaining an effective emergency response
Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP
Vice President of Safety and Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP
Manager of Clinical Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.
Session 3
Tuesday, Feb. 24
Developing a Hospital Emergency Communications PlanSession Overview
Effective communication is a cornerstone of hospital emergency preparedness. This session explores the development and maintenance of a hospital communications plan, emphasizing its role in coordinating response efforts, maintaining situational awareness and ensuring accurate information flow during emergencies. Participants will learn what should be included in the plan, how to tailor it to their facility’s needs, and strategies for keeping it current and actionable.
Session Objectives
- identify the essential components of a hospital emergency communications plan
- understand the role of internal and external communications during emergency response
- develop strategies for maintaining and testing the communications plan to ensure effectiveness
Wendy Squires, MPA
Emergency Management Specialist
Phelps Health
Rolla, Mo.Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP
Vice President of Safety and Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Session 4
Tuesday, March 3
Technology Tools and Systems for Emergency Communication and CoordinationSession Overview
Effective communication is a critical component of hospital emergency preparedness. This session introduces participants to a range of technology tools and systems that support emergency coordination before, during and after a crisis. Participants will explore platforms used across Missouri and nationally for emergency communications, data management and operational coordination. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of timely, accurate message delivery and how digital tools enhance decision-making, streamline response efforts and enable real-time collaboration across departments and agencies.
Session Objectives
- identify key radio systems and technology platforms used for emergency coordination in health care settings
- understand how technology supports communication, situational awareness and coordination during emergencies
- apply strategies for integrating and maintaining technology tools within the hospital
Carissa Van Hunnik, CHEP
Manager of Emergency Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Daytona Brown, Paramedic, NRP, CHEP
Emergency Operations Coordinator
Madison Medical Center
Fredericktown, Mo.Session 5
Tuesday, March 10
Continuity of Operations: Sustaining Essential Services During and After EmergenciesSession Overview
Emergencies don’t end when the immediate threat is over. Hospitals must be prepared to maintain critical operations during disruptions and recover effectively afterward. This session focuses on the development and implementation of Continuity of Operations plans, which ensure that essential health care services continue during and after emergencies. Participants will learn how COOP differs from the Emergency Operations Plan, how to identify essential functions, and how to plan for phased restoration and long-term recovery.
Session Objectives
- define the purpose of a COOP plan and distinguish it from an EOP
- identify essential hospital functions and resources required to sustain operations during a disruption
- develop strategies for restoration of services post-event
Andrew Blevins, M.A., CHEP, CHSP
Business Continuity and Emergency Preparedness Planner
St. Luke’s Hospital
Chesterfield, Mo.Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP
Manager of Clinical Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Session 6
Tuesday, March 17
Infrastructure Resilience in Hospital Emergency Management: Systems, Standards and SustainabilitySession Overview
This session provides a comprehensive look at the physical infrastructure systems that underpin hospital operations and their critical role in emergency preparedness. Participants will explore how infrastructure interdependencies affect clinical and operational continuity, review key regulatory requirements including 96-hour sustainability and life safety codes, and examine core systems such as power, water, HVAC and medical gas. The session emphasizes planning for utility failures and integrating infrastructure considerations into emergency management programs.
Session Objectives
- understand the essential components of the physical infrastructure in the context of hospital emergency management programs
- identify and assess critical infrastructure components such as power systems, water management, HVAC, medical gas and structural integrity
- understand the concept of 96-hour sustainability, life safety and other regulatory requirements and their application in health care facility planning
Kara Amann, MPA, CHEP
Director of Hospital Preparedness Programs
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP
Vice President of Safety and Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Session 7
Tuesday, March 24
Clinical Preparedness: Special Considerations and ThreatsSession Overview
A strong hospital emergency management program requires an understanding of your patient population and the clinical roles to meet their unique needs during a crisis. This session focuses on the clinical aspects of emergency preparedness. Participants will explore response techniques for mass casualty incidents, surge events and specialty scenarios such as burn care, decontamination and infectious disease management. The session also addresses emerging threats, vulnerable populations and integrating clinical leadership into planning, training and response.
Session Objectives
- understand the clinical aspects and roles in hospital emergency response
- integrate clinical considerations into emergency planning, training and response strategies
- recognize and prepare for specialty clinical scenarios and the needs of vulnerable patient populations
Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP
Manager of Clinical Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Daytona Brown, Paramedic, NRP, CHEP
Emergency Operations Coordinator
Madison Medical Center
Fredericktown, Mo.Session 8
Tuesday, March 31
Collaborating With Community Partners and Taking Care of Your RespondersSession Overview
Effective emergency response requires strong partnerships and resilient personnel. This session explores how hospitals can build and sustain collaborative relationships with public health agencies, emergency management, first responders and other community stakeholders. Participants will learn the value of pre-established relationships and how to leverage them for preparedness, response and recovery. The session also emphasizes the importance of responder wellness, including psychological first aid, peer support programs and policies that promote safety and recovery for health care workers during and after emergencies.
Session Objectives
- identify key internal and external partners essential to hospital emergency preparedness and response
- develop strategies for building and maintaining collaborative relationships with community stakeholders, including the importance of health care coalitions
- implement approaches to support responder wellness and resilience during and after emergencies
Kara Amann, MPA, CHEP
Director of Hospital Preparedness Programs
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP
Vice President of Safety and Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Session 9
Tuesday, April 7
Emerging Threats in Hospital PreparednessSession Overview
As the threat landscape evolves, hospitals must expand their preparedness strategies to address emerging risks that can disrupt operations and compromise patient safety. This session explores the expanding threat landscape, including cybersecurity incidents, supply chain disruptions and emerging hazards like climate change and artificial intelligence risks, and their implications for health care operations. Participants will learn how to assess and integrate these threats into planning frameworks, coordinate across departments and stay informed to ensure resilient and adaptive preparedness strategies.
Session Objectives
- describe the expanding threat landscape and its implications for hospital emergency preparedness
- integrate emerging threats into hospital emergency management programs
- establish processes for staying informed about evolving threats and updating preparedness strategies accordingly
Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP
Vice President of Safety and Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Kara Amann, MPA, CHEP
Director of Hospital Preparedness Programs
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo.Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP
Manager of Clinical Preparedness
Missouri Hospital Association
Jefferson City, Mo. -
Kara Amann, MPA, CHEP, joined MHA in 2018 and oversees emergency preparedness programming and related grants focusing on the development of systems and structures to support hospitals and partners’ response to all-hazard incidents impacting operations to support continuity of safe care delivery.
In her role, she works to integrate this programming with other quality and safety initiatives at the association to support member hospitals and the communities they serve. She provides technical assistance to hospitals and other health care organizations on emergency management and continuity initiatives and is a liaison between hospitals and regional, state and federal organizations and response structures.
Amann is the co-chair of the American Hospital Association Allied Associations Emergency Readiness Group, a member of the Association of Health Emergency Preparedness Professionals education committee and serves on the advisory boards for both the Region VII Disaster Health Response Ecosystem and the Region 7 CDC Center for Public Health Preparedness and Response.
Amann is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional and earned her Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from the University of Missouri and her Master of Public Administration and graduate certificate in grants management from the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri.
Keri Barclay, R.N., CHEP, is the manager of clinical preparedness at MHA. She supports hospitals and health care coalition partners in planning and responding to patient care needs in disasters. She has worked at MHA since 2019 and is a registered nurse who has actively worked in the areas of labor and delivery, emergency room and infection prevention. She also has served as a disaster coordinator.
Barclay has more than 22 years of experience in addressing emergencies, providing contingency interventions and working with the incident command system. She earned an Associate of Applied Science in nursing from North Central Missouri College and holds certifications as a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional and Healthcare Coalition Response Leadership.
She has extensive training in Advanced and Basic Disaster Life Support and has had the opportunity to train at the Center for Domestic Preparedness – Highly Infectious Disease, and NETEC National Ebola Training and Education Center. Additionally, Barclay believes in hands-on learning and real-world helpful initiatives. She lives with her husband and children in northwest Missouri and knows firsthand the importance and impact of rural health.
Andrew Blevins, M.A., CHEP, CHSP, is a seasoned emergency management professional with more than 18 years of experience in crisis response, continuity planning and health care resilience. He is currently serving as the business continuity and emergency preparedness planner at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo.
Previously, Blevins held regional leadership roles at a large Missouri-based health system, where he directed environmental safety and emergency management programs across nine hospitals, driving improvements in disaster planning and regulatory adherence. He also has worked as a firefighter/ paramedic, a paramedic in a busy hospital emergency department, and as a county emergency management training and exercise officer.
Blevins holds a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management from American Military University and a bachelor’s degree in assets protection and security from Eastern Kentucky University. He is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional, Certified Healthcare Safety Professional and a FEMA CES Level I Professional Continuity Practitioner.
Daytona Brown, NRP, CHEP, is an emergency medical professional and health care operations leader with more than a decade of experience in emergency response and preparedness. Brown is the emergency operations coordinator at Madison Medical Center in Fredericktown, Mo. In this role, he oversees the operations of a critical access emergency department and leads the emergency management program.
Brown began his career in emergency medical services in 2010, working on both ALS and BLS ambulances, and has since accumulated nearly 15 years of hands-on experience as a paramedic certified by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. His front-line experience spans both ambulance services and emergency departments. Brown is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional and co-chair of the Southeast Region of the Missouri Healthcare Coalition.
Robert A. Loseman, MSML, CHEP, has worked in the health care industry for more than 20 years. He is currently the vice president of safety and preparedness at MHA. His previous career, which encompassed two health care systems with multiple hospitals and clinics, included leadership oversight of food services, environmental services, telecommunications, safety, building operations and maintenance, life safety and security.
Loseman is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional and a skilled and seasoned security, safety and emergency preparedness professional who has vast experience in managing everyday operations of a multitude of health care departments and emergency situations. He previously served as past co-chair of Missouri’s Central Region Emergency Healthcare Coalition for five years.
He has trained at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness and holds professional memberships with the International Association of Healthcare Safety and Security, ASIS International and National Fire Protection Agency. Additionally, he has presented nationally on workplace violence prevention and control measures. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Truman State University and a Master of Science in management and leadership from Western Governors University.
As a seasoned health care operations professional, Loseman knows and understands what it takes to prepare, protect and provide needed services to patients, visitors and staff.
Wendy Squires, MPA, is an experienced emergency management specialist with more than 35 years of expertise in emergency operations, disaster preparedness and organizational resilience. Since 2010, Squires has served at Phelps Health, where she develops and maintains hospital Emergency Operations Plans and ensures compliance with The Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services standards. Her role includes conducting training, exercises and readiness assessments to safeguard patient care during crises.
Before her current position, Squires dedicated 20 years to the United States Air Force, where she held leadership roles in emergency management and production control. Her tenure included 16 years as an emergency manager, overseeing large-scale response strategies and readiness programs, and three years as a production control specialist. Squires holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in emergency and disaster management from American Military University, reflecting her strong academic foundation in public service and crisis management.
Carissa Van Hunnik, CHEP, joined MHA as manager of emergency preparedness in October 2011. She is responsible for managing day-to-day operations, providing user training and assistance, and advocating for continued development and enhancements of the EMResource and eICS applications for Missouri hospitals, health care facilities and coalitions.
Van Hunnik serves as lead facilitator on the EMResource Advisory Committee, where she works with health care partners to organize, strengthen, and refine emergency preparedness communication and coordination platforms in Missouri. Most recently, she also has taken on the role of data liaison for Missouri hospitals’ COVID-19 data reporting requirements to HHS TeleTracking, where she provides updated guidance and assists Missouri hospitals with maintaining daily and weekly reporting compliance.
Additionally, Van Hunnik acts as health care coalition administrative liaison for the Northeast Region of the Nonurban Missouri Health Care Coalition, where she provides leadership and guidance on coalition emergency preparedness planning and response initiatives and assists with grant deliverables and coalition reporting compliance.
Carolyn Wells, MSN, R.N., CEN, CHEP, is a registered nurse employed with Liberty Hospital as the trauma/emergency preparedness manager. She is the chair of the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Coordinating Council Hospital Committee and serves on many other regional and state committees. She is a member of the Missouri Disaster Medical Team and has been deployed several times for disasters in Missouri. She also is a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional.
Wells graduated from Graceland University in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She has been an emergency/trauma nurse for more than 40 years. She received her Master of Science in nursing in 1996 as a clinical nurse specialist in critical care. She has an avid interest in emergency preparedness and is an instructor for Louisiana State University’s National Center for Biological Response and Training.
Wells is a graduate of the Master Exercise Practitioner Program in Emmitsburg, Md., and is a Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program trainer. She has designed and developed numerous exercises over the last 35 years, including large, full-scale regional exercises. She also is a licensed extra class amateur radio operator and teaches amateur radio classes in Kansas and Missouri.
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MHA Health Institute
4712 Country Club Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
Phone: 573-893-3700
Fax: 573-893-2809 -
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This educational activity is provided by MHA Health Institute.
