Even a short interruption in electrical power or HVAC can put patients at risk, so it's important to have integrated hospital contingency plans that address power and HVAC interruptions, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
To be effective, the plan needs to be proactively developed, well-understood, updated frequently and practiced regularly, the article said.
Steps for developing an effective disaster recovery plan include:
• Address all the potential causes of system failure, including natural disasters, power outages, equipment failures, fires or even sabotage
• Identify reliable, experienced contingency planning consultants and temporary equipment providers
• Identify areas within the hospital that would have the greatest impact on mission-essential operations and the bottom line if an unplanned service interruption were to occur
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