Healthcare Preparedness
Hospital and Healthcare facilities require emergency management and systems to be capable of operating after and even continue operations during disruptions, disasters and Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs). Hospitals are required to provide continuous health care to the existing patients they already have during a disaster even during an evacuation.
Hospitals are also required to provide the communities they are in with health care after a disaster in the community while caring for the current patients they have. They’re also required to be able to maintain their ability to handle a large sudden influx or surge in the number of patients they receive such as during an MCI.
Additionally, hospitals may be impacted by incidents of power outages and supply chain disruptions. Hospitals rely on a steady supply of medications, medical equipment, and other supplies. A disaster can disrupt these supply chains, so hospitals need to have contingency plans in place to ensure they can continue to provide care even if their usual suppliers are unavailable.
This is done through the creation of Emergency Management Planning, training with exercises, and systems designed for this purpose such as the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS).
Here at the Erwood Group, not only do we understand healthcare and the challenges faced. We know Health care is different because we have healthcare experience.
How Different is Healthcare?
It’s literally a matter of Life and Death that Healthcare organizations and facilities maintain their resilience and Operational Endurance™
While other businesses can and will focus on key critical revenue-producing activities, in health care it is imperative to maintain life and safety processes first and foremost.
As a healthcare organization, you face many challenges. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a cyber-attack, or a global pandemic, you need to be prepared to weather any storm. That’s where emergency management and business continuity are required to build resilience and Operational Endurance™ come in.
What is the Difference Between Resilience and Operational Endurance™
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity. It’s about being flexible, adaptable, and able to recover quickly from setbacks. Endurance is the ability to keep going, even when things are tough. It’s about having the stamina and perseverance to see things through to the end.
So how can you build resilience and Operational Endurance™ into your healthcare organization? Here are a few tips:
Develop a Crisis Management Plan:
Develop Crisis Management Plans and create a plan that outlines how your business will prepare, respond, manage and recover from different types of crises. This plan should include procedures for communication, evacuation, and business continuity.
Test your Plans
Test your plans through thorough exercises to make certain it works noting gaps and holes and creating additional strategies and contingencies to overcome obstacles and shortfalls.
Train Your Staff
Utilize these exercises to train your staff. But know that exercises alone are not enough. Hold meetings and team discussions, smaller exercises and drills around strategies, response capabilities, supply shortages, staff shortages, etc.
Develop Business Continuity Plans
Develop strong business continuity plans for critical core hospital functions and processes. Ensure that staff knows the workarounds and strategies when processes and functions must rely on tasks outside of their ‘normal’ methods.
Develop IT Disaster Recovery Plans
Develop robust IT Disaster Recovery (DR) plans and strategies along with solid backup to prevent crippling cyber attacks and outages.
Have Backup Power Strategies
Ensure backup power strategies are in place and tested often. Hospitals rely heavily on electricity to power life-support equipment and other critical systems. Having backup power systems in place, such as generators, is essential. Be certain to know how you’ll resupply fuel needs as well as generator run time.
Develop Multiple Communication Strategies
Maintain communications by having multiple methods and types of communication ready for when normal communication methods are down. This includes, but is not limited to satellite phones, handheld radios, paper forms, and even runners to distribute communications to ensure they can communicate with staff, patients, and emergency services.
Create Robust Supply Chains
Implement, manage and control a robust and secure supply chain. Ensure that secondary and tertiary supply relationships are developed and maintained. Make plans for finding ways to obtain new suppliers as needed and to find ways to manage with no new supplies coming in for an extended period.
Work Closely With Local Emergency Services
Coordinate and work closely with local emergency services such as police, fire and Emergency Medical Services. Get involved with your local Office of Emergency Management.
By taking the steps mentioned above, hospitals can ensure they are well-prepared to continue providing healthcare services after a disaster. While disasters can be challenging, with the right preparation and planning, hospitals can help ensure the safety and well-being of their patients and staff, even in the most adverse conditions.
At Erwood Group we have assisted numerous Healthcare organizations, hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices in creating, maintaining, and enhancing emergency plans, crisis management planning, business continuity planning and disaster recovery planning to ensure their resilience and Operational Endurance™.
Need Help Preparing Your Healthcare Facility or Hospital?
Whether you run or are responsible for multiple healthcare facilities or just one hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office we have the experience to assist you in rapidly developing, implementing, and enhancing new or existing plans that you need for Operational Endurance™.
Additionally, with our experience in the healthcare industry if you operate any type of healthcare-based office we can help you with your business preparedness, Readiness Capability™, emergency planning, crisis management, business continuity, IT disaster recovery, data backup, cybersecurity, and other areas of concern.
These include:
- Chiropractic
- Dentists
- General Practitioner
- Medical Spa
- Orthodontist
- Oral Surgeon
- Pediatrician
- Physical Therapy
- Plastic Surgery
- And Even Veterinary
Contact us and set up your Free Initial Consultation on Health Care Preparedness.