Most hospitals have backup generators for the eventuality of electrical outages. Assuming my facility has this measure in place, the appropriate step would be to switch to generator power and seek additional generators and fuel tanks sufficient for the duration of the natural disaster. However, if the disaster involves flooding, this might risk the organization’s generators for it is likely that most are stored in hospital basements (Landesman, 2005). Furthermore, the loss of infrastructure like Electronic Medical Records (EMR) is naturally synonymous with power outages. Therefore, it is crucial for the organization to have a backup of information commonly accessed through electronic communication facilities. The lack of internet access will also negatively affect communication; necessitating the establishment of non- internet based communication facilities to restore communication in the event of natural disasters. With regards to patient information, such communication must remain HIPAA compliant and the backup must have appropriate encryption (Snedaker & Rima, 2013). Furthermore, the loss of electronic health records increases pressure on manpower levels due to the reduced efficiency. Hence, the organization will need to find the additional staff to handle operations in the aftermath of the disaster.
The most effective disaster management approach is to proactively prepare for them and ensure that systems and facilities have the appropriate capacity. This involves devising disaster preparedness plans and incorporating staff members such that each person is aware of their role in the management system. Furthermore, it is important to routinely train and perform drill exercises that focus on several disaster types and incorporate both power and technological outages (Institute of Medicine (U.S.)., Hanfling, Hick, & Stroud, 2013). There is need to prioritize backup generators and additional fuel tanks not only for power shortages but also for transportation deficiencies too. Considering the influx of patients associated with disasters, the organization must in advance prioritize in-demand hospital supplies. Fundamentally, preparedness is essential to disaster preparedness.
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References
Institute of Medicine (U.S.)., Hanfling, D., Hick, J. L., & Stroud, C. (2013). Crisis standards of care: A toolkit for indicators and triggers . Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.
Landesman, L. Y. (2005). Public health management of disasters: The practice guide . Washington, DC: American Public Health Assoc.
Snedaker, S., & Rima, C. (2013). Business continuity and disaster recovery planning for IT professionals . Waltham: Syngress
