PPV: Prepare for the worst, hope for the best

Most HIM directors think a disaster will never occur at their hospitals. And although channeling positive thoughts is generally laudable, it isn’t a realistic approach when disaster can strike at any moment. A disaster doesn’t necessarily need to take the form of a hurricane, tornado, or pandemic to severely incapacitate an HIM department. What happens when the power goes out? Or how about when the computer system crashes?

 

Glennda Gore, RHIA, vice president of risk management and chief compliance officer at McAlester (OK) Regional Health Center, knows all too well the havoc that can ensue in HIM departments in the wake of a disaster. During January 2007, the town of McAlester experienced a severe ice storm. The weight of the ice caused power lines and telephone poles to snap and break, resulting in a power outage that lasted nearly two weeks.

 

The hospital was able to function with a backup generator for the first two days, but when it failed unexpectedly, the hospital was without power for 45 minutes.

 

“We had surgeries going on, a C-section, and people under anesthesia,” says Gore. “The whole hospital [staff] were running around with flashlights trying to assist physicians and patients. It was chaotic.”

 

The hospital could not access its electronic records. Because the hospital had only factored in essentials, such as life support, when deciding which equipment should remain on the generator, the HIM department did not have a functioning computer.

 

But the flow of patients into the emergency room (ER) continued, and Gore had to find a way to keep the department functioning.

 

Click here to learn more about disaster planning, including the impact on your EHR system.

 

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