An Emergency Management Model for Home Health Care Organizations

Abstract

In June 2002, President George W. Bush signed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act into law. Local, state, and federal government authorities face the challenge of balancing safeguards to the public safety, anticipating threats in advance, and treating the victims of bioterrorist attacks. The Joint Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations recently developed new compliance standards for all health care organizations including home health care to advance this effort. The intent of these standards is to change the way health care organizations plan for emergencies to a more comprehensive process of emergency management using an all-hazards approach. Implementation of these standards will result in the mitigation of potential identified threats to patients, employees, and the community and the provision of essential services and business operations. For all federal, state, and local organizations responsible for the realization of this essential and urgent public policy including health care, planning and implementation expenses are a major concern.