Healthcare ”CIDRAP partnered with the Premier Inc. healthcare alliance to design a track to address healthcare industry-related issues, including protecting healthcare workers and patients, and the availability and distribution of pandemic-related protective barriers, medical supplies, and antivirals and vaccines. Hospitals and healthcare providers are already experiencing the added strain of treating patients with H1N1 and properly communicating to a cautious general public, challenges that will only increase with the rising numbers of cases, said Gina Pugliese, R.N., vice president of the Premier Safety Institute.

Human resources ”Professionals in human resources (HR) found themselves on the front line during the spring outbreak, balancing rapidly changing guidance and new developments about the novel H1N1 virus. CDC guidance makes clear that one of the most effective ways companies can respond to a pandemic is ensuring HR policies allow sick workers to stay home. "This track addresses head-on the host of questions raised in trying to meet such guidance. Presenters will share the practical, often innovative, strategies they found in the spring and what they're doing now," said summit organizer Aaron Desmond, CIDRAP director of business preparedness.

Keeping the World Working During the H1N1 Pandemic: Protecting Employee Health, Critical Operations, and Customer Relations is the third national summit to be hosted by CIDRAP. Previous summits have drawn more than 600 participants from 400 organizations and featured more than 70 expert speakers, including high-level corporate executives and government officials. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to attend.

September 22-23, 2009 (Tuesday and Wednesday) Day 1: Registration at 7 a.m.; sessions 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; networking 7:30-9 p.m. Day 2: Breakfast at 7 a.m.; sessions 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Marriott City Center, Minneapolis, MN Online registration is available for organizations and the media For more information, see the summit Web site or call Summit Registration Headquarters toll-free: 1.800.351.0232

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