In a new issue of Sentinel Event Alert, The Joint Commission published an article on how healthcare facilities can best prepare for environmental disasters.
According to the article, climate change is causing more natural disasters and areas that weren’t previously at risk are now experiencing them. Communities don’t always have adequate time to prepare for an oncoming disaster.
The Joint Commission Emergency Management (EM) standards “require healthcare organizations to have a comprehensive emergency management (EM) program that provides a systematic analysis for planning, shared decision making, internal and external collaborations, and assignment of available resources including staff, space, and supplies.”
The Joint Commission also published the following actions for healthcare organizations to consider when preparing for an environmental disaster:
1. “Revisit and update your emergency plans.
2. Establish and build collaborative relationships.
3. Develop a resilient communications infrastructure.
4. Plan how to meet essential needs and provide care to staff and patients.
5. Plan and practice how to evacuate and shelter in place.
6. Recovery.”
