The Northeast Regional Urgent Care Association (NERUCA) has published a new Pediatric Readiness Checklist in Urgent Care, providing urgent care leaders and clinical teams with a practical framework to support pediatric emergency preparedness.
Developed by NERUCA's Public Health Committee in partnership with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH), the checklist was created as part of a grant-funded initiative focused on strengthening emergency preparedness across urgent care settings.
The resource is designed to help urgent care organizations assess and strengthen key components of pediatric readiness, including planning, staffing, communication, clinical considerations, and coordination with pediatric referral systems.
Children can present unique clinical, operational, and safety considerations during emergencies, public health events, and periods of increased healthcare demand. The checklist provides organizations with a structured way to review their current practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and strengthen preparedness within the context of their individual capabilities and communities.
Rather than establishing a one-size-fits-all standard, the resource serves as a practical framework that urgent care organizations can adapt based on their patient population, staffing model, available resources, and relationships with local healthcare and emergency response partners.
The checklist has also been featured in the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) TRACIE Technical Resources library, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its inclusion provides another avenue for healthcare and preparedness professionals across the country to access the resource and highlights the important role urgent care can play within the broader healthcare preparedness system.
The project reflects NERUCA's continued collaboration with public health partners to develop practical, urgent care-specific resources that strengthen preparedness and support coordination across the healthcare continuum.
Urgent care leaders are encouraged to review the checklist with their clinical, operational, and emergency preparedness teams and use it as a starting point for assessing pediatric readiness within their organizations.
ASPR TRACIE citation: Public Health Committee of the North East Regional Urgent Care Association. (2026). Pediatric Readiness Checklist in Urgent Care. Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Funding acknowledgment: This resource was developed by the North East Regional Urgent Care Association in partnership with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene through grant funding supporting emergency preparedness initiatives in urgent care.