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COVID-19
PANDEMIC

The RMOC arose from several converging experiences, including In the COVID-19 response the STRAC RMOC has led to dra-
multiple large exercises which demonstrated the need for a higher matically improved (compared to other regions) situational aware-
level of integration of medical operations, the desire of local gov- ness, integration of public health, acute health care and disaster
ernments for a single point of reach back to the large and diverse management functions in an unprecedented fashion, actionable data
health care community, and the positive experience of STRAC and consolidated from public health and acute health care data sources,
military medical planners with medical command centers. The identifying, controlling and coordinating hot-spots, drive through
STRAC led the conceptual development of the RMOC, which was testing management across the entire State, load balancing across
implemented in Hurricane Katrina and tested in every disaster in multiple health systems and organizations, and distribution of per-
South Texas since that time. It has been proven to work in natural sonal protective equipment for clinics, hospitals, private practices
disasters, mass casualty events and currently is critically important and congregant care facilities.
in coordinating the regional and state response to the COVID-19. In the past 60 days the RMOC has processed over 6,000 unique
line item requests from over 1,200 request forms submitted by hos-
The RMOC leads to improved pitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, long term care facilities, dialysis
1. Coordination between governmental agencies, stakeholders and centers, hospice providers, funeral homes, EMS, first responders
health care institutions and critical infrastructure organizations such as power companies
2. Communication between agencies and stakeholders and cell providers. Through a partnership with BCMS, the STRAC
3. Distribution of resources has served over 232 primary care providers or 6,000 caregivers. The
4. Understanding of local need STRAC and the BCMS have a long history of partnership in coor-
5. Information sharing dinating South Texas disaster response, and in the COVID-19 era
6. Real-time, patient-tracking hospital bed capacity that partnership is more important than ever.
7. Deployment of medical assets to the scene of a disaster
8. Deployment of EMS strike teams
9. Deployment of regional mobile medical units—field hospital
10.Convening of experts and coordination with agencies, health care
institutions, professional organizations and other stakeholders.

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