Strategic Readiness: Planning for disaster preparedness

Hurricanes, tornadoes and other severe weather events are common in many regions - and for hospitals, these emergencies can pose serious challenges to patient care and safety. However, with proactive planning and the right resources, hospitals can continue delivering the critical care patients deserve, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Disaster preparedness should be a core component of every hospital's strategic plan. By anticipating the impact of natural disasters, hospitals can mitigate disruptions and ensure continuity of care for patients, especially those with complex medical needs.

Preparing for a natural disaster

Michelle Atkinson, chief nursing officer at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Naples in Florida is no stranger to natural disasters. In 2024, she helped prepare her hospital and staff for two major hurricanes - Helene and Milton.

"Prior to the hurricane making landfall, we start our emergency response plan with a seven-day plan to make sure our hospitals have provisions for seven days and other materials such as liquid IVs, linens and everyday supplies to sustain our patients," she said.

Emergency response plan

During a hurricane, communication is key. Atkinson said leadership both at the hospital and corporate level meet frequently. They also stay up-to-date on the storm's status through local government and weather agencies.

"We collect data on the patients in our hospital to determine what materials or resources we need and who needs to discharge down the coast (to another Encompass Health hospital)," Atkinson said. "We communicate with the families to help decide on patient evacuation, continued care or whether they want to shelter in place with their loved ones. We communicate with our sister hospitals to determine what resources they need, and if we can allocate resources to sustain their patients."

Updating patients and their loved ones

If weather becomes too dangerous, the hospital will go on lockdown, meaning it is no longer open to outside visitors. Keeping patients and their loved ones informed during these situations should be a priority.

"We don't want people driving in hazardous conditions, so we make daily phone calls to the family, preferably with the patient in the room to let them know that their loved one is OK," Atkinson said.

Keeping staff informed

On Oct. 9, 2024, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Tampa, Florida, greatly impacting the community and businesses, resulting in the relocation of patients at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Cape Coral to Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Naples. Although, Encompass Health has multiple locations in Florida, leadership decides which hospital has the capacity and resources to provide the safest care to patients.

Hospitals face challenges when preparing for disaster response and the care team must be equipped to handle patient overflow. When one hospital has to evacuate due to being in high-risk area other hospital locations take on those patients to resume care. "During Milton, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Cape Coral had to evacuate their patients, and we had a shortage of blood tubes in the area," Atkinson said. "We had to call another hospital to ship materials before the hurricane arrived to make sure we had enough resources."

Updating staff on weather emergencies and planning is a key component of disaster preparedness. At Encompass Health hospitals, leadership sends out communications to help prepare staff for their shifts.

"Trust amongst health care professional is vital and is built through training and experience. "If you have never lived in Florida, a hurricane is unique and it's something that I like to talk staff through," Atkins said. "It's not like a snow storm, and there is a possibility that you will be sheltered in place for two to three days. We want to make sure our employees feel safe and prepared and that we have a great plan in place."

Encompass Health's disaster preparedness plan is vital in ensuring patient and staff safety. Through strategic planning, clear communication and compassionate leadership, hospitals can continue delivering high-quality care.