ABSTRACT
Disaster plans are necessary for all medical practices. For fertility practices they must not only cover the safety of patients, employees, equipment, and supplies, but also be designed to protect valuable reproductive tissues. Designing a plan involves time and should include at least one representative from each department in the clinic, including clerical staff. These plans should first cover the common and obvious emergencies—loss of power, flooding, and fires. There are online tools available to assist in the making of these protocols and to assess their usefulness. There are many steps that one can take to minimize destruction before an emergency hits a clinic. It is important to consider these items and be prepared well before any disaster hits. Once the plan is written, it must then be used to train all employees in their roles in the plans. Drills should be used to ensure that the plans are functional and that everyone knows their role. This chapter will help clinics develop their own disaster plans so that damage can be minimized.
