10/Sep/2009
Things are Going to be Different
When the Next Hurricane Comes
By John A. Stassi II, President
& CEO
CommCare Corporation
Editor’s Note:
Hurricane
season is rapidly drawing to a close, but very serious work continues daily in
an effort to make certain the response by people in the healthcare community
will be better next time than it was the last time.
The following paper reveals results of the
intensive study that began just as soon as the harm Katrina left in her wake
was dealt with.
It is interesting to
note
ways in which the next crisis will
be handled
compared with the way things
happened following Katrina.
Emergency preparedness is always a top priority for
healthcare officials. Preparedness allays fears and instills confidence – if
and when a plan has to be enacted.
Emergency preparedness is especially important during
hurricane season. Not only is careful planning necessary for the safety and
well being of the facility’s residents, but it is also important to keep in
mind the mental, physical and psychological needs of the elderly population.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, long-term care facilities and healthcare agencies reevaluated their plans. The John A. Hartford Foundation funded a long-term care "Hurricane Summit," in February 2006.
The summit identified emergency response system issues that
require coordination between long-term care providers and state and
federal emergency operations centers. They presented the following
aspects as lessons learned and aspects to consider when planning:
- Facilitate communication with residents and their families, as well as the staff (in the event of an evacuation).
- Plan and anticipate patient flows from acute care hospitals or provide other resources .
- Factor in the impact of federal, state and local regulations on the ability of nursing homes to offer support
- Ensure sufficient staff will be available in case of an emergency to care for patients
- Keep mind staffing levels may be affected by personal property or transportation loss
-
Prepare
for loss of power and running water
-
Keep
in mind special dietary needs when preparing supplies
-
Ensure
that the facility is stocked up on supplies including:
- Pharmaceutical supplies
- Medical supplies
- Fuel
-
Food and water
With
these in mind, facilities can learn from and reevaluate their own policies and
procedures in the event it is necessary. Creating checklists and constantly
evaluating and updating plans is top of mind for these healthcare
professionals.
For more information, please visit:
www.ahrq.gov/prep/hurricane.htm
www.hhs.gov/disasters/emergency/naturaldisasters/hurricanes/index.html
CommCare
Corporation,
founded in
1994, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which operates skilled
nursing facilities and community mental health centers. CommCare owns and
operates Baton Rouge Health Care, Old Jefferson Community Care Center, CMHC of
