In its most recent Sentinel Event Alert publication, The Joint Commission advises healthcare facilities to prepare for environmental disasters due to the increased risk of weather and climate related events. Rising global temperatures have led to more extreme weather patterns in recent years, such as increased hurricane intensity, rapidly developing tornadoes, severe flooding, extreme heat, and wildfire season expansions. Additionally, with more people migrating to coastal and wilderness areas, a larger population will be directly impacted by natural disasters.
The Joint Commission Emergency Management (EM) standards require healthcare organizations to have a comprehensive EM program in place to keep patients safe during disasters. EM programs can follow an all-hazards approach to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a wide variety of disasters.
The following points from The Joint Commission’s EM standards provide organizations with a framework for EM program preparation:
- Involve organizational leadership in emergency planning, prioritization, policy and procedure development, oversight, and resource management.
- Perform a Hazards Vulnerability Analysis to test and evaluate organizational risks and vulnerabilities, drive staff training, and ensure continuity of care for patients.
- Develop an Emergency Operations Plan to outline communications, staff responsibilities, resource assignment, and shelter in place or evacuation protocols.
- Create a Continuity of Operations Plan for maintaining the organization’s operational and physical infrastructure.
The Joint Commission recommends that organizations understand the documentation requirements outlined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as deficiencies in documentation can impact emergency funding. In addition, The Joint Commission recommends that organizations consider the following six actions as they engage in disaster preparedness:
- Revisit and update emergency plans to address the rise in natural disasters.
- Establish and build collaborative relationships with key partners, such as local, state, and federal officials, transportation providers, and alternative sites for care.
- Develop a resilient communications infrastructure, including how and when to provide warning and notification alerts, back up communication methods, and alternatives for inbound and outbound messaging.
- Plan for how to meet essential needs like water, food, medication, and infusion fluids, and how to provide care to both patients and staff. Plan for electronic medical record documentation alternatives, identify staff skills, availability, and respite location options, and create disaster response teams. Note that The Joint Commission requires organizations to maintain a resource sustainability period of 96 hours.
- Plan and practice how to safely evacuate and shelter in place. Conduct table-top exercises, drills, or simulations to train staff and rehearse specific roles and responsibilities.
- Plan for disaster recovery, including conducting a critical assessment and evaluation of the organization’s event response.
Source: Sentinel Event Alert Environmental Disasters: Preparing to Safely Evacuate or Shelter in Place