Emergency Preparedness for Hospices (Part 2 of 2): Building a Culture of Preparedness

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While emergency preparedness is a key aspect of hospice surveys, effective disaster preparedness goes beyond regulatory compliance. More than ensuring continuity of care, a well-developed Emergency Preparedness Program also focuses on confidence, communication, and cultural competence.?

Confidence: Empowering Staff

While regulations are a great starting point, hospices can even further enhance their preparedness.

Staff training and drills are crucial for solidifying emergency preparedness. Conducting "mini-drills" allows you to assess specific aspects of your emergency plan and build staff confidence in their roles.

CMS mandates hospices to conduct practice drills including tabletop exercises, functional tests, or full-scale simulations. These exercises test protocols, identify weaknesses, and ensure staff comfort with their roles in emergencies. (Source: QSO-20-41-ALL Revised)

Communication: The Key to Effective Disaster Response

Clear and consistent communication is vital during emergencies. Hospices need to establish open communication and protocols in advance with local first responders, emergency managers, and other stakeholders. This ensures timely updates, facilitates coordination efforts, and guarantees assistance reaches patients and staff.

The communication plan for your hospice should include readily accessible contact information for:

• Hospice staff: Include names, titles, phone numbers, and email addresses for key personnel such as administrators, clinical staff, social workers, chaplains, and on-call staff.
• Entities providing services under arrangement: This may include home health agencies, durable medical equipment providers, pharmacies, and any other contracted services. Include contact information for both the main office and any after-hours support personnel.
• Patients' physicians: Maintain a current list of each patient's attending physician if different from your hospice physician. Include phone numbers and preferred methods of communication.
• Other hospices: Having contact information for other providers in your area can be valuable in case of emergencies or patient transfers.

Your communication plan should also include contact details for emergency preparedness staff at all levels (federal, state, tribal, regional, and local) as well as other sources of assistance.

Here are other considerations as far as communication during emergencies is concerned:

• Social media: When possible, keep social media pages updated and designate who is in charge of releasing information. Social media can be a source of updates for family members who may not have access to email or phone.
• Back-up communication methods: Plan alternative communication channels in case of power outages or network disruptions. This could include pre-arranged call trees or even radio.
• Accessibility: Ensure communication materials are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Consider keeping information printed and ready in multiple languages.

(Sources: NHPCO Emergency Preparedness for Hospice (p. 28-29 CDC Crisis Emergency Risk Communication (p.98, 102, 193)

Cultural Competence: Building Bridges, Not Barriers

Working effectively with people from different cultures and languages can be challenging during a crisis. Studies have also shown that due to language barriers and cultural differences, minorities are more vulnerable to the impacts of disasters, often experiencing a slower community recovery rate following an emergency. (Source: NHPCO Emergency Preparedness for Hospice (p. 38))

When you incorporate cultural competence in emergency planning, you acknowledge diverse cultural perspectives, identify and address challenges faced by vulnerable populations, and strengthen collaboration between communities and emergency responders.

To bolster cultural competence, you can implement the following:

• Involve communities and engage local minority groups in planning and drills.
• Translate information for non-English speakers and provide materials and resources (also great for marketing!).
• Consider the needs of populations with minimal access to resources and how to best serve them in an emergency situation.
• Develop a PIP (Performance Improve

(Sources: NHPCO Emergency Preparedness for Hospice (p. 38-39), CDC Cultural Awareness in Preparedness Planning)?

To support the growing role of hospices in disasters, hospice leaders should conduct thorough assessments of their current plans, reinforce staff training, and advocate for deeper integration with local disaster management initiatives and community disaster roundtables.

Building a culture of emergency preparedness goes beyond compliance so that hospices can ensure they can continue fulfilling their essential mission of providing comfort, support, and dignity to patients and families during the most challenging times.

Hart Healthcare Solutions empowers hospices to go beyond compliance with customized emergency preparedness programs, staff training, and resources.?

Catch up on Part 1 and get the Free Emergency Preparedness for Hospice Checklist. We hope you enjoyed this series! Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.