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Volunteer Spotlight - August 2006

Volunteer:	Michael Dickens, R.Ph.
Nominator:	MRC Coordinator – Joca Veloz
Unit Contact Information:	Central District Health Department MRC 707 North Armstrong Place Boise, ID 83704 Phone: (208) 327-8597 E-mail: jveloz@cdhd.idaho.gov Web site: http://www.cdhd.idaho.gov/

MRC Unit Focus

The Central District Health Department MRC will recruit, train, and develop partnerships to support the emergency preparedness plan for Health District 4.

Volunteer Background Information

Mr. Dickens is a staff and patient pharmacist for St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Boise, ID.

What did the Volunteer do to be in the Spotlight?

Mr. Dickens was one of four pharmacists who volunteered during the June 2006 Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Exercise. During the exercise, he sorted pallets for redistribution to other point of distribution (POD) sites and triaged medication to patients. He and a team of pharmacists developed an algorithm to meet the special needs of children and elderly adults to facilitate a faster method of dispensing medication. As a result, they increased their ability to dispense medication by 38 percent in 1 hour.

He will be taking the lead role for the Central District Health Department, while collaborating with all six Idaho Public Health Districts and the Idaho State University School of Pharmacy to develop an algorithm to facilitate medication dispensing for POD sites.

He also readily promotes the MRC to other healthcare professionals. He is plans to present the MRC to other pharmacists and hospital staff to increase their awareness of the vital role pharmacists would play in an emergency or disaster.

When and why did the Volunteer Join the MRC?

Mr. Dickens joined the Central District Health Department MRC in June 2006 after seeing an advertisement requesting pharmacists to support the June SNS exercise. The opportunity to volunteer with the MRC was a way to help individuals in need and understand the role he could play if a disaster or bioterrorism event occurred in his community.

Interesting Information

For the past 10 to 12 years, Mr. Dickens has volunteered with a local charity care clinic to provide healthcare services to underserved members of the community. He developed a core list of medication to meet patients’ needs.

Last Updated on 9/15/2006