The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recently released a report on selecting and operating alternate care facilities during a disaster.

 

Alternate care facilities need to be carefully chosen and outfitted with appropriate equipment and materials for use when your hospital is inoperable due to a disaster.

The AHRQ report offers input from preparedness experts in various sectors of disaster planning. It also includes ideas on developing an operations manual, handling staffing at alternate care facilities, and making equipment and supply considerations.

The AHRQ also links to the Disaster Alternate Care Facility Selection Tool and Alternate Care Facility Patient Selection Tool.

Selecting an appropriate alternate care site may have community planning implications involving support from other medical facilities or community partners. Join HCPro on March 25 at 1 p.m. EST, for an educational Webcast, “Simplify Community Planning for Disaster Exercises: Align Joint Commission Requirements with HSEEP,” which will offer attendees guidance and tools to effectively manage community disaster preparedness.