Joint Commission Requirements for a Hospital EOP

• Hospitals should always have thorough emergency operations plans. emergency symbol image by astoria from Fotolia.com

  The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations surveys, or inspects, hospitals in the United States for accreditation every three years. Part of the JCAHO accreditation review includes a hospital's emergency operations plan. The EOP must contain six sections: communications, resources and assets, safety and security, staff responsibilities, utilities management and clinical services, and patient clinical and support activities.

Communications

• Communication among hospital staff during an emergency is vital for patient and employee safety. The need to evacuate or quarantine patients could occur, and communication among employees and between employees and the outside community will assist in making these important decisions. An emergency may render regular telephone communication ineffective, which makes having options like cellular or satellite phone and two-way radio important.

Resources and Assets

• During public health crises or disasters, hospitals need emergency supplies that assist in keeping patients healthy and safe. These supplies include pharmaceuticals, dry ice, drinkable water, propane, food and dry linens. Every hospital should have a supply of these products available; it should also have a plan for obtaining more of these supplies from other sources if needed.

Safety and Security

• The safety and security of patients is the No. 1 priority during any emergency. Every hospital designates a group of people as a safety committee. This committee is responsible for knowing the ins and outs of the EOP, including how to: keep patients safe, evacuate patients if needed, get rid of hazardous and infectious waste, dispose of chemicals, and keep a facility safe and secure during any disaster or emergency.

Staff Responsibilities

• Every employee in a hospital should be aware of the hospital EOP and should be tested on these procedures annually. Both essential and nonessential employees should understand what the disaster response protocol for the hospital entails. Any or all employees may find themselves responsible for some tasks or duties during an actual emergency. For this reason, emergency drills are often conducted in hospitals on an annual basis to keep staff alert and apprised of all changes in the EOP.

Utilities and Clinical Services

• An EOP should include a contingency for the loss of power, gas, water, propane and other systems during an emergency. The utilities department of the hospital should conduct regular generator tests and maintenance of these systems. This department should also ensure the hospital has working back-up generators, chillers and other materials to make it through an emergency situation.

Patient Clinical and Support Activities

• The hospital should have a staffing protocol in place to ensure that adequate care of patients occurs at all times. This may mean calling in staff on days off or on vacation, calling staff from other hospitals and requiring staff to stay at the hospital until the emergency ends.