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Drills & Exercises

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Hospitals are required to participate in specific drills and exercises as required by their appropriate accrediting body and/or grant requirement(s). For example, the Hospital Preparedness Program grant may require participation in the Annual Statewide Medical Health Exercise. The National Incident Management System Compliance for Healthcare Element 7 states that NIMS concepts and principles are promoted into all organization-related training and exercises.

The Joint Commission in EM03.01.03 requires two emergency response exercises and at least one of them include an escalating event in which the local community is unable to support the event, and at least one includes participation in a communitywide exercise.

The California Code of Regulations 70741 (d) states the disaster plan shall be rehearsed at least twice a year. 70743 (c) requires fire and internal disaster drills shall be held at least quarterly for each shift of hospital personnel and under varied conditions.

NFPA 5.14 requires the entity shall evaluate program plans, procedures, and capabilities through periodic reviews, testing, and exercises.
 

Response to an Active Shooter Event - Interactive Tabletop Exercise (UCSD Health System)

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FCC Adopts Rule to Allow Hospital Use of Amateur Radios during Disaster Drills

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Consistent with the blanket waiver request submitted by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Federal Communication Commission has adopted an order which permits the use of HAM radios during hospital disaster drills. The Commission determined that amateur radio operators play a critical role during disasters and that amateur radio operators should be permitted to participate in disaster drills regardless of whether they are employed by the entity conducting the drill.

The blanket waiver request was filed by AHA in response to The Joint Commission’s requirement that hospitals prepare an emergency operations plan specifying alternative forms of communication to use during emergencies and establishing back-up communications links, including amateur radio stations, if primary communications systems fail.

Due to the adoption of the FCC order, the Commission dismissed AHA’s blanket waiver as moot.

    

Hospital in Trouble for Too-Real Drill

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LAS VEGAS, July 3, 2010  -- A Nevada hospital is likely to be fined for an emergency drill in the intensive care unit that featured an armed man who took employees hostage, officials say.

Nurses and other employees at the Siena Campus of St. Rose Dominican Hospital did not realize the gunman was an off-duty police officer with an unloaded weapon, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

The state Health Division said Friday the hospital may be ordered to pay an $800 fine because some patients were left without care for as long as 15 minutes during the May 24 drill.

The hospital has already had one brush with a real gunman. Last year, police killed a man who threatened staff in the emergency room with a gun.

A report on the over-the-top training incident said eight employees, including doctors, nurses, a respiratory therapist and the ICU director, were lined up against the wall in a staff room. The gunman revealed his true identity after about 5 minutes but kept the employees in the room for another 10 before allowing them to return to work.

Teressa Conley, the chief operating officer, said the three employees who designed the drill had the "best intentions" but did not think things through. At least two are no longer working there.

View Article on UPI.com

  

Virtual Hospital Exercises have Real-Life Benefits

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Dozens of hospitals, medical schools and health foundations have staked out space in the online community Second Life, where participants can build their own virtual clinics and stage just about any training drill they can imagine. Interest is so high, both Stanford University and the University of Michigan last month held workshops on medical training and education in the virtual world.

   

FCC Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Use of Amateur Radio in Drills

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Experience has shown that amateur radio has played an important role in preparation for, during, and in the aftermath of, natural and man-made emergencies and disasters. Current rules provide for amateur radio use during emergencies, however these rules prohibit communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer (such as hospitals).

However, the FCC has recently issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) addressing the question of whether hams should be able to communicate on behalf of their employers in certain limited circumstances. The NPRM proposes adding a narrow exception to the general prohibition on communications on behalf of an employer for amateurs involved in government-sponsored emergency drills. It also seeks comments on whether certain other drills that are not sponsored by government agencies - such as those conducted by hospitals - should be included in the proposed exemption as well.

Exercise Planning

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The hospital’s Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) assists exercise planners in identifying threats facing the facility. The facility’s HVA provides a list of top scenarios to base future drills and exercises on. Additionally, past After Action Reports and Improvement Plans provide previously identified areas for improvement that can be tested.

Communitywide discussions and planning with local and regional emergency preparedness committees take into account the Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan, which includes specific capabilities and objectives that could also be evaluated in future exercises. The identified objectives help address general exercise program goals, provide a framework for scenario development, guide development of individual organizational objectives, and supply evaluation criteria.

Additionally, The Joint Commission lists specific activities and observations to be monitored in exercises in EM.03.01.03 that can be used in future exercises.

AHRQ Tool for Evaluating Core Elements of Hospital Drills

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Hospitals must be prepared to respond to public health emergencies that may create a sudden demand on services. Disaster drills allow hospitals to test response capabilities to these emergencies in real time.

AHRQ has developed this Tool for Evaluating Core Elements of Hospital Drills. This tool can be used by hospitals to identify the most important strengths and weaknesses in disaster drills. The results can be applied to training and drill planning. 
 

HPP Healthcare Facility Drills & Exercise Report

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Use this form to report to your local HPP entity (e.g., county public health, EMS) each disaster preparedness drill and/or exercise in which the hospital/clinic participated and for which the hospital/clinic will be claiming HPP reimbursement.

After Action Reporting (AAR)

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The After Action Report (AAR) captures observations of an exercise and makes recommendations for post-exercise improvements. The AAR is then used to develop Improvement Plans (IP).

In EM 03.01.03, The Joint Commission requires a hospital to assign a designee whose sole responsibility during emergency response exercises is to monitor performance and document deficiencies and opportunities for improvement. Developing an AAR meets the criteria.

 

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