How to Prepare for Home Health Emergencies and Disasters Before They Happen

When emergencies and disasters strike, home health agencies must be ready to care for patients and employees in the most challenging situations. An emergency preparedness plan provides a clear direction to address the health, safety, and security needs of your agency and community during a disaster or emergency.

CMS defines emergency and disaster similarly but with moderate differences. Each represents “a hazard impact causing adverse physical, social, psychological, economic or political effects that challenges the ability to respond rapidly and effectively. 

The first steps to being prepared for either, include four basic components: 

• an all-hazards vulnerability analysis

• policies and procedures

• a communication plan

• training and testing

“Preplanning, knowing your resources, identifying the triggers to activate each component of your plan and engaging patients and staff in safety planning prepares you for the worst that might happen.”

CHUG provides long-term care organizations with expert coordination of evacuation, transportation, relocation and shelter-in-place services. We also offer our expertise with response and restoration services, including fire and water damage, mold remediation, infectious disease clean-up and catastrophic loss.
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