Accreditation

JCAHO publishes study on disaster preparedne

Accreditation Connection, June 19, 2006

The JCAHO recently published a study with some key findings and recommendations about disaster preparedness based on information gleaned from more than 600 hospital participants.

The study, Integrating Hospitals into Community Emergency Preparedness Planning, includes the following findings:

  • community-based preparation for and response to disasters will require more effective communication and planning among hospitals, public health agencies, and community first responders such as fire, police, and emergency medical services

  • national benchmarks are needed to measure and promote emergency preparedness planning

    The study appears in the June 6 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. According to a JCAHO press release, the study was supported in part by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and is the first large-scale national assessment of how closely hospitals and their communities are collaborating and planning together for natural or other disasters.

    "Recent natural disasters and terrorist attacks have underscored the need for healthcare facilities to integrate their activities with community-based emergency preparedness efforts," according to the release.

    The study's recommendations include:

  • drills and exercises should more truly simulate the stresses created by emergency conditions that persist over time

  • healthcare organization coalitions should be created to determine the adequacy of community resources to meet needs

    Click here to view the full study.

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