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Hurricane Preparedness Week is a good time to review disaster privileging policies

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, May 28, 2009

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Dear readers,

Unless you live along the coast, you might be unaware that this past week was National Hurricane Preparedness Week. The purpose of the week is to educate the public and help them prepare should a hurricane strike. For medical staff services departments, part of this preparedness means reviewing your disaster privileging policy.

Even if you don’t live in an area affected by hurricanes, take this opportunity to ask your department the following questions:

• When was the last time our disaster privileging policy was evaluated?
• Is the current version of our disaster privileges policy compliant with our accrediting organization’s disaster privileging standards?
• Are medical staff members aware of the disaster privileging policy? If not, how can we educate them?

Updating your disaster privileging policy on a regular basis will help your organization continue to provide high quality patient care should a disaster strike. For more information about disaster privileging and planning, check out “California disaster plan is step in new direction: Guidelines provide for mix of advance and same-day credentialing,” (Briefings on Credentialing, May 2008) and “Emergency preparedness: Disaster veterans share experiences and lessons learned” (Medical Staff Briefing, July 2009). Both articles are archived online at www.HCPro.com. (Note: the July 2009 article will be online in mid-June).

Sincerely,

Emily Berry, associate editor

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