Category: Emergency Preparedness

Be Ready, Be Prepared! Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 9-15, 2021

With the onset of the 2021 hurricane season closely upon us, now is the time to start preparing! The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. Forecasters are predicting that oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic will be favorable for a more active than usual hurricane season in the months ahead. Planning and preparing now can make a big difference in safety and resiliency in the wake of a hurricane. The ability to quickly recover following a hurricane requires a focus on preparedness, advance planning, and knowing what to do in the event of a hurricane.
Prepare Your Staff and Patients: Get the Conversation Started!
One of the most effective ways to share information and motivate people to take steps for personal preparedness is to talk to staff members and patients. Add a preparedness discussion to the weekly huddle, your next staff organizational QAPI meeting, or arrange a lunch and learn session. You can cover the basics in about 15 minutes; but 30 minutes will provide more time for open discussion and/or questions.
Be Prepared! Plan Ahead.
Begin preparing now and know what you’re going to do in the event of a hurricane. Planning ahead gives you more options and better control over situations that could become chaotic at the last moment if you’re not ready. To learn more about how to prepare for a hurricane visit ready.gov/hurricanes. Find out about preparedness drills or exercises in your area at https://www.ready.gov/testing-exercises.
Tips for Planning Ahead

COVID Precautions Poster Available: A High Risk Person Lives Here

The IPRO ESRD Network Program is excited to share a new patient-developed resource to help keep individuals safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. This resource is intended for patients to display the color 11 X 17 poster size English | Spanish sign on their front door, entry hallway, and/or window to provide precautionary guidance and educational reminders to visitors entering their home. The tool was designed to be particularly useful for individuals living in multi-generational homes and/or shared residences. The design layout has also been adaptable for print in black/white on 8 1/2 X 11 letter size to increase accessibility for patients.

FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Third COVID-19 Vaccine

Action Advances Fight Against COVID-19, Follows Comprehensive Evaluation of Available Safety, Effectiveness and Manufacturing Quality Information by FDA Career Scientists, Input from External Experts

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age and older.
“The authorization of this vaccine expands the availability of vaccines, the best medical prevention method for COVID-19, to help us in the fight against this pandemic, which has claimed over half a million lives in the United States,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “The FDA, through our open and transparent scientific review process, has now authorized three COVID-19 vaccines with the urgency called for during this pandemic, using the agency’s rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization.”
The FDA has determined that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine has met the statutory criteria for issuance of an EUA. The totality of the available data provides clear evidence that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine may be effective in preventing COVID-19. The data also show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks, supporting the company’s request for the vaccine’s use in people 18 years of age and older. In making this determination, the FDA can assure the public and medical community that it has conducted a thorough evaluation of the available safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality information.
Click HERE to download and print the entire FDA News Release.

Joint Statement: Roadmap for Maintaining Essential Surgery during COVID-19 Pandemic

On August 13, 2020 the American Hospital Association (AHA) along with the American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) released a Joint Statement: Roadmap for Maintaining Essential Surgery During COVID-19 Pandemic. This new joint statement provides a list of principles and considerations to guide physicians, nurses, and hospitals and health systems as they provide essential care to their patients and communities. The joint statement builds on the Joint Statement: Roadmap for Resuming Elective Surgery after COVID-19 Pandemic released by the AHA, ACS, ASA, and AORN on April 17, 2020.

CMS Releases Recommendations on Adult Elective Surgeries, Non-Essential Medical, Surgical, and Dental Procedures During COVID-19 Response

Earlier today at the White House Task Force Press Briefing, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that all elective surgeries, non-essential medical, surgical, and dental procedures be delayed during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

As more healthcare providers are increasingly being asked to assist with the COVID-19 response, it is critical that they consider whether non-essential surgeries and procedures can be delayed so they can preserve personal protective equipment (PPE), beds, and ventilators.

“The reality is clear and the stakes are high: we need to preserve personal protective equipment for those on the front lines of this fight,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

This will not only preserve equipment but also free up our healthcare workforce to care for the patients who are most in need. Additionally, as states and the nation as a whole work towards limiting the spread of COVID-19, healthcare providers should encourage patients to remain home, unless there is an emergency, to protect others while also limiting their exposure to the virus. They should also urge patients to follow the President’s recently issued guidelines to help slow the spread of the virus.

The recommendations provide a framework for hospitals and clinicians to implement immediately during the COVID-19 response. The recommendations outline factors that should be considered for postponing elective surgeries, and non-essential medical, surgical, and dental procedures. Those factors include patient risk factors, availability of beds, staff and PPE, and the urgency of the procedure. This will help providers to focus on addressing more urgent cases and preserve resources needed for the COVID-19 response. The decision about proceeding with non-essential surgeries and procedures will be made at the local level by the clinician, patient, hospital, and state and local health departments.

The recommendations can be found here:  https://www.cms.gov/files/document/31820-cms-adult-elective-surgery-and-procedures-recommendations.pdf

These recommendations, and earlier CMS guidance and actions in response to the COVID-19 virus, are part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here www.coronavirus.gov for further information. For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, and other information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

CROWNWeb New User Training, QIP

CROWNWeb has announced that their next New User Training session will be held on December 11, 2018.  Find details and register at http://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/dec-2018-crownweb-new-user-training/.

The December 2018 CROWNWeb Newsletter is also available, at http://mycrownweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/December_2018_Newsletter_V1.7-508.pdf.  This issues includes articles on:

  • A Clinical FAQ on Post-Weight Dialysis Assessment date.
  • Scheduled CROWNWeb Clinical Closure Dates; note that your Network may require earlier data entry in some situations.

Announcement of a December 20, 2018 CROWNWeb Town Hall on 2018: A Retrospective Review.  See http://mycrownweb.org/pcw_community_events/crownweb-town-hall-2018-a-retrospective-review/ for details and registration.

Emergency Disconnect Procedure for In-Center Hemodialysis Patients

The national Kidney Community Emergency Response Patient and Family Engagement Learning and Action Network (N-KPFE-LAN) is pleased to announce its new resource, Emergency Disconnect Procedure for In-Center Hemodialysis Patients.  The one-page instruction sheet shows in-center hemodialysis patients how to disconnect from dialysis in three steps in an emergency situation.  The resource can be downloaded and printed from the KCER website at:  https://www.kcercoalition.com/contentassets/7202c26cb0ce40b9a098d3dbede5ccb9/emergencydisconnectdialysis508.pdf.

CMS Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Webinar: Tuesday, April 24, 2018 from 1pm to 2pm, EST

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) USA Healthcare Caucus has announced its second webinar in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the Emergency Preparedness Final Rule. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 from 1pm to 2pm, EST.

Please join Caecilia (Cece) Blondiaux with the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (QSOG). Ms. Blondiaux will provide a recap and updates on the final rule. She will also highlight and discuss key areas in which CMS is seeing an increased number of deficiencies as related to the final rule. There will be approximately 20-25 minutes allotted for a question and answer session at the end of the webinar. For efficiency and to answer as many questions as possible, IAEM requests that questions be submitted in advance to iaem.health@gmail.com, no later than April 16, 2018.

 

Emergency Preparedness: What to Know and When to Report

Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen without warning. Transportation barriers, changes in water, loss of power, or access to supplies can critically impact dialysis treatment.  Therefore, it is important to be prepared before an emergency occurs.  In addition to routine review of disaster plans, resource management, drills, and updating contact numbers and medication records, dialysis facilities are encouraged complete the following action items to ensure continuity of care:

  • Designate in CROWNWeb a Disaster/Emergency Coordinator for your facility. Be sure to include a cell phone number.
  • Conduct a Hazards Vulnerability Assessment to determine how and when your facility might be at risk.
  • Establish a Mutual Aid Agreement with a back-up dialysis provider that will accept your patients if your facility cannot provide access to care.
  • Annually contact your local Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to communicate patient census and needs of ESRD patient care during an emergency.

Reporting Operational Status to the Network
In an emergency, the Network is required by CMS to work with Federal, State and local government agencies to assist with patient safety and ensure dialysis facilities are prioritized to be open for treatment.  Networks are also tasked with tracking the status of facility operations and patient access to care during events.  If your facility becomes inoperable or inaccessible due to an emergency, it must be communicated to the Network as soon as possible.  This improves the ability of the Network to provide current information to assist patients, the renal community, and emergency management personnel.

For questions about facility emergency preparedness requirements, resource materials, or technical assistance, please contact the Network at 203-387-9332.

Emergency Planning: Can you answer these questions?

Are you confident that all members of your staff and your patients are aware of what to do in an emergency? Are you prepared to review your facility’s emergency planning with a state surveyor? Can you, your staff, and your patients:

Describe the facility’s emergency preparedness program?

  • Staff and patients should be able to explain what they would do in an emergency, based upon what they have learned in training and drills.

Know where to find the facility’s emergency plan and documentation?

  • Staff should know where the plan is, and who the leads are in an emergency.
  • Patients should have, at least, an emergency contact sheet and a copy of their dialysis orders.

If you answered NO to either of these questions, find out who the emergency lead is at your facility, and work with them to ensure that you, your staff, and your patients are prepared.

For more information visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (HHS ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE)’s Tools and Templates webpage at https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/technical-resources/50/dialysis-centers/47#plans-tools-and-templates.

Is Your Facility Ready for the New Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Requirements?

The New Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Requirements go into effect on November 17, 2017.  As of that date, surveyors will start to survey and assess this Condition for Coverage (CfC) and can cite for noncompliance. There are many resources available to help staff at your facility ensure compliance to the Final Rule. To review these resources and ensure that your facility is in compliance, see the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, Information Exchange (TRACIE) webpage https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/technical-resources/50/dialysis-centers/47.

Resources for the New Emergency Preparedness Requirements: