The University of Iowa College of Public Health, Carver College of Medicine and The State Hygienic Lab, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, are hosting interactive, discussion-based exercises over the next year. These four-hour exercises help facilities identify and respond to multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) threats across the state of Iowa and fulfill CMS emergency preparedness exercise requirements, with a specific focus on Candida auris (C. auris).
MDROs are bacteria that resist treatment with multiple antibiotics. They are primarily found in hospitals and long-term care facilities and are often transmitted from patient to patient via the hands of health care workers. The exercises will specifically address diseases caused by carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO).
Tabletop exercises offer a low-risk and highly effective method to evaluate emergency response plans in advance, helping individuals across the organization and community understand their roles during an emergency. These exercises provide participants with the opportunity to critically consider potential scenarios that could disrupt normal operations.
Who should attend? Personnel from long-term care facilities, hospitals and those responsible for community emergency preparedness.
Upcoming tabletop events
- Wednesday, April 29, 2026 – Webster City
- Thursday, April 30, 2026 – Red Oak
- Wednesday, May 13, 2026 – Pella