During a disaster, Healthcare Team members are on the frontlines caring for patients, supporting their colleagues, and helping our communities recover. We conduct annual disaster drills because planning and preparedness saves lives. Thank you not only for the support you have provided during the COVID pandemic, and also for those who participated in our recent systemwide disaster drill.
Lessons learned from the disaster drill:
- The importance of ongoing training and education, especially considering the turnover rates across the system
- Collaborating with hospitals outside the MHC system
- Technology challenges with reporting/recording software and radio communication
During a disaster, credentialed Munson Healthcare providers have the following roles and responsibilities in an emergency response:
- Participate in disaster credentialing.
- Based on hospital privileging, a provider may be called upon to take on a role outside of their daily duties. Examples include: support Ask-a-Nurse hotline, provide telehealth or virtual urgent care services, practice in different location, etc.
- Monitor communications from Munson Healthcare.
- Reports to their manager and their primary hospital’s Chief Medical Officer.
“Most of us have practiced various disaster scenarios at some time during our careers,” said Dr. Christine Nefcy, Chief Medical Officer for Munson Healthcare. “The SARS-COV-2 pandemic provided an opportunity to test our training, preparedness, and resiliency. As difficult as the last two years have been, it has also been a reminder of the privilege and responsibility we are given as healthcare providers in caring for the most vulnerable in our communities, and the honor it is to serve alongside team members of exceptional quality and professionalism.”
Thank you all for continuing to remain flexible and adapt swiftly to new circumstances.