Abstract submitted to 2005
Name of Project:
Category:
Patient Safety / Quality Medical Care
Descriptive Title:
Comprehensive Disaster
Preparedness Program of
Summary
A patient safety program in a hospital starts with the establishment of a comprehensive disaster preparedness program. A traditional disaster preparedness program in a hospital is usually limited to fire, explosion, and earthquake. It should extend beyond these calamities.
In February, 2005,
What initiated the
use of a comprehensive concept of disaster preparedness program were the review
of the definition of disaster and the concern for patient safety in the
hospital.
Disaster is any event that overwhelms the person or a group of persons facing it. The overwhelming can be in terms of psychosocial impact, destruction of property, injuries to or diseases of human beings, and scarcity of resources.
Any event that is of a magnitude that overwhelms the administration of the hospital is a disaster in the hospital.
A person in the hospital developing a cardiopulmonary arrest is a disaster.
If the influx of patients or injured victims into the hospital overwhelms the usually available personnel, supplies, and facilities, this too is a disaster.
A fire breaking out within the hospital is by itself a disaster. What more if persons and properties are lost as a result of the fire. An earthquake, a flood, and a typhoon involving the hospital are also considered disasters. An explosion within the hospital, hostage taking, bomb threat, and a strike by hospital employees are likewise considered hospital disasters.
The formulated primary objective of the disaster preparedness program is to avoid disasters within the hospital as much as possible.
The secondary objective is to prepare the hospital personnel and organizational resources for optimal performance during times of disaster. The aims are to prevent death and injuries to patients and hospital personnel; to avoid destruction to hospital properties; and to render medical services to the largest possible number of patients during a disaster.
The tertiary objective is to make the hospital personnel and the
community aware of the importance of the disaster preparedness program, how it
is executed, and the benefits it provides.
What has been accomplished from February to July,
2005, included the following:
1. Formation of a disaster preparedness committee headed by a member of the top management and with membership that included both medical and non-medical staff (February, 2005)
2. Appointment of a disaster control officer (February, 2005)
3. Seminars on natural calamity and fire drills (March and July, 2005)
4. Certification of structural soundness and fire safety from regulatory agencies (June, 2005)
5. Establishment of a manual of procedures for sudden influx of patients (March, 2005)
6. Ongoing review of manual of procedures for cardiopulmonary arrests with monitoring and evaluation for purposes of improvement
7. Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) workshop for medical and nursing staff (May, 2005 with another being planned for November, 2005)
8. Designation of evacuation areas inside and outside the hospital (April, 2005)
9. Advisories on burns, earthquake, bomb threats, floods, and terrorism (starting February, 2005)
10. Annual basic life support seminar for non-medical staff of the hospital (September, 2005)
Except for cardiopulmonary arrests, NO other kinds of disaster have occurred and all staff are constantly made aware of the disaster preparedness program of the hospital and its importance.
Aside from the new concept of disaster preparedness program that contributes to comprehensiveness of the program, there are two other innovative strategies being used to promote effectiveness and sustainability.
Although there is a core disaster team, every staff is equipped with the know-how on how to prevent and deal with disasters in the hospital. There are two seminars on natural calamity and fire drills and two ACLS workshops every year. Moreover there are constant (year-round) advisories on disaster preparedness.
A member of the top management being appointed to be in charge was used as a strategy to sustain the program. Moreover, this program is considered part of the corporate social responsibility and a flagship program of the hospital.
Some Supporting documents include:
Operation Manual of the Disaster Preparedness Committee
Operations Manual of the Subcommittee on Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation
Memos
Advisories