State Expert Panel on the Evacuation of Healthcare
Facilities
On May 2, 2006, an expert panel met in Wisconsin Dells to discuss and
develop emergency evacuation and shelter-in-place policies that would be
consistent for all healthcare facilities. The panel consisted of:
- representatives from long term care and assisted living facilities
- staff from the Bureaus of Mental Health & Substance Abuse
Services and Quality Assurance
- a private consulting agency
- emergency management services
Dennis Tomczyk, Director, Hospital Disaster Preparedness, Wisconsin
Division of Public Health, was the moderator for the panel.
The mission of the panel was to:
- Identify those protocols that need to be consistent for all
healthcare facilities, both in evacuation and shelter-in-place so that
training for both healthcare personnel and training for those that
assist healthcare facilities can be better coordinated.
- Provide a template evacuation and shelter-in-place policy
(PDF, 52 KB) for
healthcare facilities.
The panel reviewed the draft policy that was developed by the State
Expert Panel on the Evacuation of Hospitals to determine what protocols
apply to other healthcare facilities and to edit the draft to better meet
the needs of healthcare facilities.
When the various healthcare facilities met in May 2006 to help draft
this policy, there was general consensus that nursing homes, assisted
living facilities and other such organizations need to be better
integrated into emergency preparedness planning.
The Hospital Disaster Preparedness Program of the Wisconsin Division of
Public Health has budgeted $200,000 for FY 2006 (September 1, 2006 through
August 31, 2007) to help address this issue.
The State Expert Panel on Healthcare Facilities will be reconvened to
develop a work plan on how to better integrate nursing homes and other
facilities into the state emergency preparedness initiatives.
Policy on the Evacuation of Healthcare Facilities
The evacuation and/or shelter-in-place of a healthcare facility are
very complex tasks.
Even with a well-defined plan and trained staff, it is very likely
that, during the implementation of the decision to evacuate or
shelter-in-place, there will be patient deaths and injuries, staff
injuries and exacerbation of existing patient illnesses and injuries.
The healthcare facility is to plan to shelter-in-place and to evacuate
with its own resources and not depend upon the assistance of resources
outside the facility.
It is critical that the healthcare facility have emergency operations
plans and resources that allow it to function on its own for up to 72
hours.
Other emergency response organizations may not be able to respond to
the needs of the healthcare facility due to other competing demands for
resources, caused by the hazard.
Recommendation #1:
- It is recommended that all healthcare facilities in the State of
Wisconsin adopt one common and consistent policy and procedure for the
evacuation and or shelter-in-place of the facility.
Rationale: This is recommended so that emergency responders, who
come to the aid of the healthcare facility, will be better prepared in
their response, knowing that all healthcare facilities follow essentially
the same procedures in the implementation of the decision to evacuate or
shelter-in-place.
This is especially true when the response is multi-jurisdictional in
nature.
Recommendation #2:
- It is recommended that any changes to this policy and its procedures
be only "site-specific" changes or enhancements so as not to
materially change the protocols of this policy.
Note: "Enhancements" are defined as going into further
detail about a particular procedure with no material change to the
procedures.
Rationale: This is recommended so that emergency responders, who
come to the aid of the healthcare facility, will be better prepared in
their responses, knowing that all healthcare facilities follow essentially
the same procedures in the implementation of the decision to evacuate or
shelter-in-place.
This is especially true when the response is multi-jurisdictional in
nature.
Material deviations from this policy and its procedures may jeopardize
patient and staff safety, since it is likely that emergency responders,
especially those who come from other jurisdictions, will not be aware of
any material changes, made by the facility.
Recommendation #3:
- It is recommended that the health care facility review its policy
with local authorities during the planning stages and identify any
site-specific changes and enhancements.
Rationale: The evacuation and/or shelter-in-place of a
healthcare facility have a major impact upon the community.
It is critical that local authorities be involved in the development of
the plan and be aware of any site-specific changes and enhancements.
No healthcare facility can successfully evacuate or shelter-in-place
without the assistance of local authorities and will require their
expertise in their respective fields to review and adapt the plan to the
unique local environment, both of the healthcare facility and the
geographic area.
Template: Evacuation and
Shelter-in-Place policy
(PDF, 52 KB)
(highlight, copy and paste text as needed)
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Last Revised: September 29, 2011 |
