Tip of the week: Monitor the shelf lives of drugs for disaster prep

When it comes to emergency readiness, an important consideration is the expiration of equipment and medications.

Hospitals need to monitor expiration dates for ventilator seals and batteries that power portable monitoring devices, according to a wide-ranging report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers called Closing the seams: Developing an integrated approach to health system disaster preparedness. Expiration periods for pharmaceuticals are also key.

However, during a disaster, certain expired drugs may qualify for extended shelf lives, a policy that the U.S. Department of Defense uses, the report said.

In preparing for such scenarios, it is helpful to separate medications with expiration dates from those that don't expire, the report recommended.

This concern ties into an upcoming Joint Commission standard, EC.4.12, which in part requires hospitals to consider strategies for standing on their own for at least 96 hours without community support during a disaster. The Joint Commission's revised emergency management standards go into effect on January 1, 2008.

Pricewaterhouse Coopers provides advisory services for various industries, including healthcare.