As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “We learn about geology the morning after the earthquake.” But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Natural disasters have dominated the news this fall. And hospitals have figured prominently in each one.
In September, at least 35 hospitals in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina were evacuated due to Hurricane Irma. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) activated the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Definitive Care Reimbursement Program to reimburse hospitals and other medical facilities that accept patients who have been medically evacuated following disasters. Hospitals that enter into an agreement with the NDMS qualify to be reimbursed at 110 percent of their Medicare rate. Some 1,900 hospitals participate in this program. Is yours among them?
In October, two hospitals in Santa Rosa, Calif., were evacuated as wildfires drew near. Photographs showed patients and staff wearing protective masks against the smoke, with a wall of flame in the background that looked all too near. Hospital evacuations are complex and potentially risky operations. Does your hospital have adequate stores of supplies and equipment that might be needed in the event of an evacuation?
At this writing, hospitals in Puerto Rico are still relying on generators for power in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. While Puerto Rico’s situation may be extreme, storm-related power outages that force hospitals to use generators are not uncommon. When were your backup generators last replaced? Is your organization ready for such a scenario?
You may respond in the affirmative. You comply with all applicable regulations. You hold the required drills. But this isn’t about regulatory compliance. This is about ensuring that your staff are confident they are well equipped to deal with whatever natural disasters are a recognized risk in your area.
After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, an ad hoc HFMA task force developed the Disaster Planning Checklist for CFOs of Healthcare Organizations. When you download the checklist, you’ll see 24 actions ranging from developing a materials management plan to having a plan for restoring clinical and operational files. Some of these are business continuity items that fall directly within the CFO’s scope of responsibility. Others have financial implications that should be considered during the planning process.
Finance leaders are accustomed to having others come to them to ask for emergency preparedness funding. But in this era of collaboration, why not be proactive, and take the initiative to approach your colleagues? They will welcome your interest and support. Assure yourself that your organization is well equipped to meet patient, staff, and community needs in the event of a natural disaster. In the process, you may also learn about help that is available to your organization, whether it be the HHS program described above or a mutual aid agreement in your community.
In the face of a disaster, ordinary people can do extraordinary things. As finance leaders, you can help make extraordinary things possible.
Follow Joe Fifer on Twitter: @HFMAFifer
Download Disaster Planning Checklist for CFOs of Healthcare Organizations
From the President’s Desk
Joe Fifer expands on his ideas in his November column.
