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How healthcare workers can prepare for the unexpected

Healthcare Life Safety Compliance, February 7, 2021

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

by Brian Ward

When 9/11 took place, NYC healthcare facilities were thrown into chaos trying to establish communication and coordination during the biggest terrorist attack in U.S. history.

Many thought their clinics and hospitals were prepared for whatever natural disasters are native to their area—until record-breaking storms, fires, or tornados left them isolated, their facility cut off from supplies and aid for days on end.

And while many warned that a global pandemic was possible, there wasn’t a single clinic, hospital, or healthcare organization that wasn’t blindsided by COVID-19.

With hindsight, it’s easy to plan and train for an emergency that’s happened before, said Kelly Proctor, CHFM, CHSP, CHOP, director of operations for DNV GL Healthcare, and Brennan Scott, CHFM, CHOP, head of surveyor development at DNV GL, during DNV GL’s 2020 Virtual Conference in October.
But how do you prepare for an emergency you haven’t faced? One as unexpected as 9/11, or as deadly as COVID-19?

This is an excerpt from a member only article. To read the article in its entirety, please login or subscribe to Healthcare Life Safety Compliance.

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