As part of its Emergency Preparedness Rule, CMS requires that healthcare facilities prove they are ready to deal with natural and man-made disasters, according to an article on the Outpatient Surgery website.
Healthcare facilities have a little more than a year to meet new federal disaster preparedness requirements as a condition of participation in Medicare and Medicaid.
For example, facilities must have emergency plans and training for personnel — and run emergency drills twice a year to test these plans and programs.
They must also have a communication plan in place to coordinate with patients, public health officials, emergency management officials, and other healthcare providers within the city, county and state.
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