Hospital Pharmacy Module (HPM)
The DASH Hospital Pharmacy Module (HPM) is intended to provide estimates of pharmaceuticals and intravenous fluids that may be required at a facility for the first 48 hours after a mass casualty incident occurs. The HPM should be completed to complement both the Burn and Trauma Supply Modules. Based on hospital characteristics, the module will offer baseline inventories for categories (e.g., analgesia, antibiotics). The user will input inventory information for common drug formulations in stock within these categories and immediately determine whether the hospital has adequate or inadequate stocks of medications in that category. Dosing is based on adult (i.e., higher) requirements, though pediatric formulations are included where available.
The DASH HPM is not proscriptive nor definitive. It is intended as a starting point for facility planners to estimate the minimum quantities that may be needed based upon the role the hospital has in the community. The module is meant to be considered in conjunction with other planning tools, resources, information, and facility and community-wide preparedness efforts. It is not intended as a clinical tool and should be used for pre-incident planning and NOT during an incident.
For detailed information on the purpose of the DASH HPM, related planning considerations, and additional resources, click on the "HPM Methodology (PDF)" button. For detailed instructions, click on the "HPM Instructions (PDF)" button. Most users will find it helpful to have the HPM Instructions open in a separate browser window to follow along as they navigate through the module.
HPM Instructions (PDF) HPM Methodology (PDF)NOTE: User inputs cannot be saved in the DASH Tool. Please remember to frequently download or share as described in the Instructions to save your inputs as you work in the module.
Begin by entering your hospital's characteristics on the Initial Assessment screen below. Then click on the "Go to Index" button to navigate to any Individual Drug Category where you will enter your inventory.
Terms of Use / Disclaimer
DASH is a voluntary planning tool designed to help hospital emergency planners and supply chain staff determine what supplies they may need during an MCI or infectious disease emergency in their community to ensure adequate supplies are available at the time of an incident. It does not require or dictate to hospitals what supplies they should have. The DASH Tool does not estimate staffing or space needs or address the systems planning necessary for an effective response. While based on subject matter expert recommendations grounded in historical or projected incidents, the DASH Tool is not designed to cover all situations for which hospitals should plan. The DASH Tool was developed for pre-incident planning and is not intended for use during a disaster.
While the DASH Tool is intended for use by acute care hospitals, facilities may consider sharing their results with their healthcare coalition and/or state to provide a more robust understanding of local and regional supply capacities. Hospitals may also consider discussing their results with supply chain vendors to inform future purchasing and strategies to ensure supply chain continuity.
DASH Tool recommendations are highly dependent on assumptions that can dramatically affect the outputs. Users should understand the implications of the assumptions and the caveats as described in the instructions. In some cases, though expert advice and review were the basis for the calculations, they may not reflect actual clinical practices; certain communities or facilities may have unique needs that the tool does not consider. The estimates may not account for all disasters; some incidents may exceed the predicted resources required. The DASH Tool should not replace other planning and facility-specific considerations or state or local government requirements. The authors, ASPR TRACIE, Healthcare Ready, and HHS/ASPR take no responsibility and bear no liability for any clinical care outcomes, provider injury/illness, or inaccuracies in or resulting from use of the DASH Tool. The DASH Tool reflects current knowledge of existing scientific guidance and operational experience; users should be aware that the evidence base for MCI and special pathogen response continues to evolve. All recommendations were current at the time of publication and vetted to the best of our ability.