FEMA issued guidance to state, tribal, and territorial (STT) governments on countermeasures they must implement to mitigate medical staff constraints prior to requesting supplemental medical staffing through FEMA. Specifically, STT governments must implement and attest to implementing the following measures prior to submitting any medical staffing requests to FEMA:

– Decompressing hospitals in the impacted area, executing only the most critical patient procedures and ceasing all elective procedures

– Maximizing coordination of healthcare providers internal to the state to balance patients and staff

– Expanding use of telemedicine

– Recalling retired clinicians and activating the Medical Reserve Corps

– Restructuring staffing models, staff-to-patient ratios, and licensing practices

– Communicating key staffing shortages and priority workforce needs to relevant partners, including the state workforce agency and the state unemployment Insurance office

– Implementing expanded scope of practice for pre-hospital care providers

– Soliciting medical volunteers through the National Governor’s Association or Emergency Management Assistance Compacts