Tragic events highlight the necessity for healthcare facilities to prepare information-sharing systems for disasters before they strike, according to an article on the Healthcare Analytics website.
When people are displaced or away from their home there is less of a chance their records will be available to the new providers.
Electronic record sharing can also help families identify missing persons in a tragedy.
During a crisis, the secretary of health and human services can suspend certain Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations on electronic record sharing, and 72-hour waivers were granted to states in the Southeast after the hurricanes and to California during the fires. Still, a variety of difficulties remain.
The Growing Crisis in Rural Healthcare Facilities
A Cleaning Alternative: The Benefits of Steam Technology
Novant Health Gets Approval for New Hospital and Freestanding Emergency Department
Preparing Healthcare Facilities for Severe Thunderstorms
NLCS Strengthens Safety and Compliance with Comprehensive Electrical Program