CMS issues emergency preparedness requirements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule to establish consistent emergency preparedness requirements for health care providers participating in Medicare and Medicaid, increase patient safety during emergencies, and establish a more coordinated response to natural and man-made disasters.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has found that many providers and suppliers have emergency preparedness requirements, but those requirements fall short.
CMS is issuing emergency preparedness requirements that will be consistent and enforceable for all affected Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers. A final rule, issued Sept. 16, addresses three necessary elements for maintaining access to healthcare services during emergencies:
? Safeguarding human resources;
? Maintaining business continuity; and
? Protecting physical resources.
?Current regulations for Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers [collectively referred to as “facilities? in the final rule] do not adequately address these key elements?, according to CMS.
CMS identifies four core elements in the final rule that it considers central to an effective and comprehensive emergency preparedness program:
? Risk assessment and emergency planning: ?Requiring facilities to perform a risk assessment that uses an ?all-hazards? approach prior to establishing an emergency plan.?
? Policies and procedures: ?Requiring that facilities develop and implement policies and procedures that support the successful execution of the emergency plan and risks identified during the risk assessment process.?
? Communication plan: ?Requiring facilities to develop and maintain an emergency preparedness communication plan that complies with both federal and state law.?
? Training and test: ?Requiring that a facility develops and maintains an emergency preparedness training and testing program.?
The final rule also includes a number of local and national resources related to emergency preparedness, including helpful reports, toolkits, and samples. Additionally, health care providers and suppliers can choose to participate in their local healthcare coalitions, which provide an opportunity to share resources and expertise in developing an emergency plan and also can provide support during an emergency. These regulations are affective on November 1, 2016 and must be implemented by November 1, 2017.