ABSTRACT
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that an emergency response address four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Identifying risks and implementing strategies to reduce the risks is a major part of the emergency preparedness process. The most important preparedness activity for a facility is the development of an emergency operations plan, which guides facility operations during an actual emergency. Response activities are designed to control the negative effects of an emergent situation or incident, maximizing the capability to provide an emergency response and minimizing the impact of the hazard on the facility, staff, patients, and operations. Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services advise healthcare organizations to take an “all-hazards” approach to emergency management, an approach that focuses on capacities and capabilities critical to preparedness for a full spectrum of emergencies or disasters. Many healthcare facilities underestimate the resources and time necessary to recover adequately from an emergency.
