About Region 5 Healthcare Coalition
Region 5 Healthcare Coalition was established in February of 2002 as a means to gather interested parties for the purpose of ensuring that the region's all-hazards, coordinated response to regional disasters and emergencies is informed by the capabilities of its healthcare system. It is one of eight healthcare coalitions in the State of Michigan and partners with the nine counties of Southwest Michigan's R5HCC. This unique regional effort provides multi-disciplinary, cross-jurisdictional planning, training, exercising, and response. The R5HCC includes, the region's hospitals, EMS agencies, public health departments, emergency management programs, long term and specialty care facilities, and other stakeholders. These entities meet together bi-monthly to better prepare the region for natural and manmade disasters, and acts of terrorism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated the 5DMRC as a 2008 Model Community for disaster preparedness, one of the few in the nation.
Mission
The Coalition’s goal is to provide effective collaboration in planning, training, and exercising for incidents and emergencies, as well as for coordination, cooperation and communication during an emergency. Since its inception in early 2002, this has been a common theme as the objectives and capabilities of federal grant programs have been carried out. The Coalition has been the premier facilitator of an enduring “all hazards” emergency preparedness program. It has demonstrated the collaboration and coordination of healthcare resources for regional solutions and provides support for healthcare facilities by providing leadership and expertise to the region to enhance healthcare facility planning, prevention, response, and recovery efforts.
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MI-TESAThe Michigan Transportable Emergency Surge Assistance (MI-TESA) Medical Unit is housed within Region 5, coordinated by KCMCA, and supported by WMed. The unit is a fully self-sufficient “field hospital” designed to operate in an austere environment and is deployed when local critical medical infrastructure is compromised. MI-TESA capabilities include full medical and trauma resuscitation resources; digital portable X-ray, ultrasound, and laboratory functions. MI-TESA is staffed by healthcare professionals from throughout the region but relies heavily upon our residents, faculty, and staff. The unit conducts a variety of exercises each year. Emergency Medicine residents played a major role in staffing MI-TESA during Operation Vigilant Guard, a five-day major Department of Defense exercise in 2010, and also during a full scale deployment in the Spring of 2014. Experience in working with MI-TESA provides an excellent foundation for graduates interested in serving on federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) or other specialized disaster response units.
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