KDHE Opens New Emergency Volunteer Registry

The BSRB, along with the Healing Arts Board and the Board of Nursing, has participated for the last 2 years in a state planning committee to plan for disaster volunteer readiness. That involvement has resulted in the system that is described below.

The Kansas System for the Early Registration of Volunteers, K-SERV, is a secure registration system and database for volunteers willing to respond to public health emergencies in Kansas or other areas across the country. The system is maintained by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). It can be utilized as a volunteer database at the local and state levels, therefore avoiding duplication of information at each level.

During an event with health and medical consequences, hospitals, local health departments, and other healthcare facilities may experience a surge in patients requiring supplemental human and other resources. In such instances, volunteers may be called upon to meet the demands of the incident. Some of these volunteers may be healthcare professionals with specialized skills, and K-SERV improves the efficiency of volunteer deployment and utilization by verifying in advance the credentials of volunteer healthcare professionals. This pre-registration and pre-verification of potential volunteers enhances the state’s ability to quickly and efficiently send and receive appropriate health professionals as needed to assist with an emergency response.

Registration on K-SERV does not obligate volunteers to serve during a disaster. If an event requiring volunteer assistance occurs, appropriate public health officials will use K-SERV to generate a list of potential volunteers based on information provided during registration. Those listed will be contacted and given information regarding the event, including where they would need to report, and be given the opportunity to accept or decline service as a volunteer. Volunteer data entered onto the system is considered highly confidential and is protected by federal, state and local laws governing security and confidentiality.

We would like to invite you, as licensed health professionals, to join our database of potential volunteers by registering on the K-SERV website: https://kshealth.kdhe.state.ks.us/ . Once there, click on “Login or Register for K-SERV.” Again, it should be emphasized that registration does not obligate one to volunteer during an emergency. Registration takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes, and it is recommended that one have their driver’s license and professional licensure information with them in order to speed up the registration/approval process.

REGISTER FOR KSERV