About ESAR-VHP

 

 

 

 

The Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) is a system that supports states, territories, and freely associated states in establishing standardized volunteer registration systems for disasters and public health emergencies. ASPR manages ESAR-VHP by providing guidance on the registration process. State, territorial, and freely associated state jurisdictions create and administer their own ESAR-VHP registries and processes.

ESAR-VHP, which is administered by states, territories, and freely associated states, verifies health professionals' identification and credentials so they can respond more quickly when disaster strikes. By registering through ESAR-VHP, volunteers' identities, licenses, credentials, accreditations, and privileges are verified in advance, saving valuable time during disasters and public health emergencies. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to complete basic training courses offered by their state and territory.

If you are credentialed in one or more of the 20 health professions in ESAR-VHP, you can register to volunteer. You may also be able to register if you are a student in a health-related field, a retired health care professional (even if you no longer hold a current license), or if you have health care experience or education that could assist clinicians in providing basic health care not controlled by scope of practice laws.

ESAR-VHP Goals

1. Provide Health Care

Volunteer health professionals register with ESAR-VHP so they can use their medical expertise to the highest capacity during a disaster or public health emergency, mitigating the impact of patient surge on the local health care workforce. ESAR-VHP volunteers provide needed care and ensure local health care and response organizations can fully respond to and recover from the disaster or public health emergency. By registering with ESAR-VHP, volunteer health professionals' information is recorded in a state/territorial registry maintained and used in a manner consistent with all federal, state, territorial, and local laws governing security and confidentiality.

ESAR-VHP is open to all clinically active health professionally across the 20 health professions, retirees (regardless of credentialing status), and students in a health-related profession.

• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (e.g. nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists)
• Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
• Clinical Social Workers
• Dentists
• Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
• Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics
• Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians (including Phlebotomists)
• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
• Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
• Mental Health Counselors
• Pharmacists
• Physicians
• Physician Assistants
• Psychologists
• Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
• Registered Nurses
• Respiratory Therapists
• Veterinarians

2. Help Health Organizations

Hospitals and other front line medical responders need qualified medical assistance in times of crisis to provide patients with the right care at the right place and the right time. Health care organizations, public health agencies, emergency management agencies, and other entities can request help with identifying professionals with the specific skillsets that they need to better serve their community. State, territorial, and freely associate state ESAR-VHP systems can then match the best volunteer candidates to each job.

When you register to volunteer with ESAR-VHP, authorized personnel will review:

• Identity and contact information
• Licensing information
• Credentials (i.e., training, skill level, competencies)

3. Help State and Territorial Coordinators

ESAR-VHP supports states, territories, and freely associated states in quickly identifying, contacting, and deploying volunteer health professionals during disasters and public health emergencies. Using a common set of standards in the ESAR-VHP registry, state and territorial coordinators can facilitate the deployment of willing, needed, and qualified volunteer health professionals.