Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information Affordable Care Act – Language In significant publications and Notice requirement, HHS Translated Resources for Covered Entities: Assistance Service. significant communications 45 C.F.R. §§ https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section- targeted to beneficiaries, 92.8(d)(1)-(2). 1557/translated-resources/index.html. enrollees, applicants, and members of the public, except for significant publications and significant communications that are small-sized, such as postcards and tri-fold brochures; In conspicuous physical locations where the entity interacts with the public; and In a conspicuous location on the covered entity's website accessible from the home page of the covered entity's website. Affordable Care Act – Participation in Post signs in the facility in 42 C.F.R. § 312(a)(2). Standardized written notices must be made available upon Shared Savings Program. settings in which beneficiaries request. Provide notice to beneficiaries at point receive primary care. of care of the participation in the Must use template language developed by CMS and must Shared Savings Program and of the meet marketing material requirements per 42 C.F.R. § opportunity to decline claims data 425.310. sharing under § 425.708. Notice is carried out when signs are posted. CMS has provided template poster language in the ACO Marketing Toolkit on the Shared Savings Program ACO Portal, accessible to ACO participants, available at: https://portal.cms.gov. Illinois Health and Hospital Association Last updated February, 2020 This document is intended to be a guide for IHA Members on the signs and notices hospitals are required to post or provide to patients and visitors under federal law. Although efforts have been made to develop a complete list of hospital signage requirements, IHA cannot guarantee that this list is exhaustive in all cases. For questions, please contact the IHA Legal Affairs Department at [email protected] or 630-276-5506. Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information Community Health Needs Assessment a) must make widely available to 26 C.F.R. §§ 1.501(r)- See § 501(r)-3(b)(6) for details on CHNA report: (CHNA). the public, including website 3(b)(6)-(7)(i). https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-31/pdf/2014- Final Community Health Needs where policy is readily accessible 30525.pdf. Assessment Report as adopted by an to the public, without requiring a authorized body of the hospital login or other restriction, at least See also subparagraph (7)(i) for regulations on draft CHNA facility, as defined by § 501(r)-3(b)(6). until the date the hospital facility reports. has made its two subsequent Applies to hospital organizations and CHNA reports widely available on hospital facilities as defined in §§ its website, and 501(r)-1(17) & (18) that are tax exempt under § 501(c)(3). b) paper copies available for public inspection upon request and without charge at least until the date the hospital facility has made its two subsequent CHNA reports widely available in paper copy. Comprehensive Care for Joint Publically post on participant Sharing Replacement (CJR) Program hospital’s website; update arrangements under Participants. quarterly (at a minimum). the CJR model, If hospital is a participant in the CJR 42 C.F.R. § program, list of all current and past 510.500(d)(1)(ii). CJR collaborators, including names and addresses, and written policies for selecting collaborators required by § 510.500(a)(3). Illinois Health and Hospital Association Last updated February, 2020 This document is intended to be a guide for IHA Members on the signs and notices hospitals are required to post or provide to patients and visitors under federal law. Although efforts have been made to develop a complete list of hospital signage requirements, IHA cannot guarantee that this list is exhaustive in all cases. For questions, please contact the IHA Legal Affairs Department at [email protected] or 630-276-5506. Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information EMTALA sign. “conspicuously” in any Basic Commitments, IHA provides examples of the language that can be used for Specify the rights of individuals, under emergency department or in 42 C.F.R. § both English and Spanish EMTALA signs: 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, to examination places likely to be noticed by 489.20(q)(1). https://www.team-iha.org/advocacy-policy/legal- and treatment for emergency medical individuals waiting for issues/emtala-signage-requirements. conditions and women in labor. examination and treatment in 42 U.S.C. §§ areas other than traditional 1395cc(a)(1)(N)(iii)- emergency departments (e.g., (iv). entrance, admitting area, waiting room, treatment area). Hill-Burton Community Service “....in appropriate areas of the Grants, Loans and A Hill-Burton facility must post notices informing the public Obligation Notice sign. facility, including not limited to Loan Guarantees for of its community service obligations in English and Spanish. State that the hospital must provide the admissions area, the business Construction and If 10% or more of the households in the service area usually services without discrimination on the office and the emergency room.” Modernization of speak a language other than English or Spanish, the facility ground of race, national origin, creed, Hospitals and must translate the notice into that language and post it as or any other ground unrelated to an Medical Facilities, well. individual’s need for the service or the Community Service, availability of the needed service in 42 C.F.R. § 53.113. the facility. Medical Facility Construction and Modernization, 42 C.F.R. §§ 124.603, 124.604. Illinois Health and Hospital Association Last updated February, 2020 This document is intended to be a guide for IHA Members on the signs and notices hospitals are required to post or provide to patients and visitors under federal law. Although efforts have been made to develop a complete list of hospital signage requirements, IHA cannot guarantee that this list is exhaustive in all cases. For questions, please contact the IHA Legal Affairs Department at [email protected] or 630-276-5506. Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information Hill-Burton Uncompensated Services “....in appropriate areas of the Grants, Loans and A Hill-Burton facility must post notices informing the public Obligation Notice sign. facility, including not limited to Loan Guarantees for of its community service obligations in English and Spanish. Must inform patients or potential the admissions area, the business Construction and If 10% or more of the households in the service area usually patients that the criteria for eligibility office and the emergency room.” Modernization of speak a language other than English or Spanish, the facility and applications for the Hill-Burton Hospitals and must translate the notice into that language and post it as Free or Reduced-Cost Care Program Medical Facilities, well. are available upon request. Services for Persons Unable to Pay, 42 Signs in English and Spanish can be obtained from C.F.R. § 53.111 https://www.hrsa.gov/gethealthcare/affordable/hillburton /index.html. Medical Facility Construction and Notice must be posted in substantially the same form as Modernization, 42 provided in 42 C.F.R. § 53.111(i). Facilities must also publish C.F.R. § 124.504. notice in a newspaper of general circulation in its area regarding its uncompensated services obligation before the beginning of each fiscal year. Individual written notice must also be provided to each person who seeks services on behalf of him/herself or another. Medicaid participation under a State “conspicuously.” Basic Commitments, plan approved under Title XIX sign. 42 C.F.R. § Sign must indicate whether the 489.20(q)(2). hospital or rural primary care hospital participates in Medicaid. Illinois Health and Hospital Association Last updated February, 2020 This document is intended to be a guide for IHA Members on the signs and notices hospitals are required to post or provide to patients and visitors under federal law. Although efforts have been made to develop a complete list of hospital signage requirements, IHA cannot guarantee that this list is exhaustive in all cases. For questions, please contact the IHA Legal Affairs Department at [email protected] or 630-276-5506. Hospital Patient and Visitor Signs and Notices Federal Requirements Required to Post Placement Authority Additional Information Notice if physician is not present in a post “conspicuously in a place or Basic Commitments, Sign must state that the hospital does not have a doctor of dedicated emergency department places likely to be noticed by all 42 C.F.R. § medicine or doctor osteopathy present in the hospital 24 24/7. individuals entering the 489.20(w)(5). hours per day, 7 days per week, and must indicate how the dedicated emergency hospital will meet the medical needs of any patient with an department.” emergency medical condition. See also “Written notice to patients if there is no doctor present in the hospital 24/7 to assist patients in making informed decisions regarding their care.” under notices below. Section 1557 of the ACA – “a conspicuously-visible font size: Nondiscrimination The
Recommended publications
  • The Origin of Bimaristans (Hospitals) in Islamic Medical History
    The Origin of Bimaristans (Hospitals) in Islamic Medical History IMPORTANT NOTICE: Author: Dr. Sharif Kaf Al-Ghazal Chief Editor: Prof. Mohamed El-Gomati All rights, including copyright, in the content of this document are owned or controlled for these purposes by FSTC Limited. In Deputy Editor: Prof. Mohammed Abattouy accessing these web pages, you agree that you may only download the content for your own personal non-commercial Associate Editor: Dr. Salim Ayduz use. You are not permitted to copy, broadcast, download, store (in any medium), transmit, show or play in public, adapt or Release Date: April 2007 change in any way the content of this document for any other purpose whatsoever without the prior written permission of FSTC Publication ID: 682 Limited. Material may not be copied, reproduced, republished, Copyright: © FSTC Limited, 2007 downloaded, posted, broadcast or transmitted in any way except for your own personal non-commercial home use. Any other use requires the prior written permission of FSTC Limited. You agree not to adapt, alter or create a derivative work from any of the material contained in this document or use it for any other purpose other than for your personal non-commercial use. FSTC Limited has taken all reasonable care to ensure that pages published in this document and on the MuslimHeritage.com Web Site were accurate at the time of publication or last modification. Web sites are by nature experimental or constantly changing. Hence information published may be for test purposes only, may be out of date, or may be the personal opinion of the author.
    [Show full text]
  • Strengthening the Public Health Infrastructure
    STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE American College of Physicians A Position Paper 2012 STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians This paper, written by Michelle Kline, was developed for the Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians: Robert M. Centor, MD, FACP, Chair; Robert McLean, MD, FACP, Vice Chair; Vineet Arora, MD, FACP; Charles Cutler, MD, FACP; Thomas D. DuBose, Jr. MD, MACP; Jacqueline W. Fincher, MD, MACP; Luke. O. Hansen, MD; Richard P. Holm, MD, FACP; Ali Kahn, MD; Lindsey S. Merritt; Mary Newman, MD, FACP; P. Preston Reynolds, MD, FACP; and Wayne Riley, MD, MBA, MACP with contributions from Virginia L. Hood, MBBS MPH FACP (ACP President); Yul Ejnes, MD, FACP (Chair, ACP Board of Regents), and Donald W. Hatton, MD, FACP (Chair, Medical Practice and Quality Committee). It was approved by the Board of Regents on 16 April 2012. i How to cite this paper: American College of Physicians. Strengthening the Public Health Infrastructure in a Reformed Health Care System. Philadelphia: American College of Physicians; 2012: Policy Paper. (Available from American College of Physicians, 190 N. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106.) Copyright © 2012 American College of Physicians. All rights reserved. Individuals may photocopy all or parts of Position Papers for educational, not-for-profit uses. These papers may not be reproduced for commercial, for-profit use in any form, by any means (electronic, mechanical, xerographic, or other) or held in any information storage or retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. For questions about the content of this Position Paper, please contact ACP, Division of Governmental Affairs and Public Policy, Suite 700, 25 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001-7401; telephone 202-261-4500.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Hospitals from Antiquity to the Renaissance
    Acta Theologica Supplementum 7 2005 THE EVOLUTION OF HOSPITALS FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE RENAISSANCE ABSTRACT There is some evidence that a kind of hospital already existed towards the end of the 2nd millennium BC in ancient Mesopotamia. In India the monastic system created by the Buddhist religion led to institutionalised health care facilities as early as the 5th century BC, and with the spread of Buddhism to the east, nursing facilities, the nature and function of which are not known to us, also appeared in Sri Lanka, China and South East Asia. One would expect to find the origin of the hospital in the modern sense of the word in Greece, the birthplace of rational medicine in the 4th century BC, but the Hippocratic doctors paid house-calls, and the temples of Asclepius were vi- sited for incubation sleep and magico-religious treatment. In Roman times the military and slave hospitals were built for a specialised group and not for the public, and were therefore not precursors of the modern hospital. It is to the Christians that one must turn for the origin of the modern hospital. Hospices, originally called xenodochia, ini- tially built to shelter pilgrims and messengers between various bishops, were under Christian control developed into hospitals in the modern sense of the word. In Rome itself, the first hospital was built in the 4th century AD by a wealthy penitent widow, Fabiola. In the early Middle Ages (6th to 10th century), under the influence of the Be- nedictine Order, an infirmary became an established part of every monastery.
    [Show full text]
  • Infrastructure Failure I. Introduction Two Broad Areas of Concern
    Infrastructure Failure I. Introduction Two broad areas of concern regarding infrastructure failure include: • Episodic failure: temporary loss of power, technology associated with maintenance of the babies may fail, or some other temporary issue may occur. • Catastrophic failure: significant damage to hospital infrastructure or anticipated prolonged outage of critical systems may trigger a decision to perform a hospital evacuation. Preplanning requires recognition of potential threats or hazards and then development of management strategies to locate the resources and support patient needs. • In disasters, departmental leaders need to develop an operational chart to plan for a minimum of 96 hours for staff needs, as well as patient care needs and supplies that may be depleted as supplies are moved with the patients. In the event that supplies or equipment cannot be replenished, staff may need to improvise. It is important that staff become familiar with non-traditional methodologies to assist equipment-dependent emergencies for neonatal patients. • The first task in dealing with infrastructure emergencies is to complete a pre-disaster assessment of critical infrastructure (see Appendix A). A key consideration in deciding whether to issue a pre-event evacuation order is to assess vulnerabilities and determine anticipated impact of the emergency on the hospital and its surrounding community. II. Critical Infrastructure Self-Assessment Worksheet A Pre-Disaster Assessment of Critical Infrastructure Worksheet (Appendix A) is divided into eight sections: municipal water, steam, electricity, natural gas, boilers/chillers, powered life support equipment, information technology, telecommunications, and security. The Worksheet can be used in conjunction with the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP), which is a management guide for protecting critical infrastructure and key resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Hospitals As Hubs to Create Healthy Communities: Lessons from Washington Adventist Hospital Stuart Butler, Jonathan Grabinsky and Domitilla Masi
    A Series of Discussion Papers on Building Healthy Neighborhoods No. 2| September 2015 Hospitals as Hubs to Create Healthy Communities: Lessons from Washington Adventist Hospital Stuart Butler, Jonathan Grabinsky and Domitilla Masi Executive Summary With today’s emphasis on population health strategies to address “upstream” factors affecting health care, such as housing and nutrition deficiencies, there is growing interest in the potential role of hospitals to be effective leaders in tackling upstream factors that influence health, social and economic wellbeing. This paper explores the potential of hospitals to be such hubs by examining the experience of Washington Adventist Hospital (WAH), a community hospital in Maryland. WAH is a particularly interesting example for several reasons. For instance, it is in a state with a health care budgeting approach and an enhanced readmissions penalty system that provides strong incentives for community outreach. The Adventist HealthCare system’s mission statement also emphasizes community care. Moreover WAH has aggressively undertaken a range of community initiatives. These include partnerships with an organization to help discharged patients to sign up for social services and benefits, and with local church and faith community nurses programs, a “hotspots” approach to tackle safety and other issues in housing projects with a high incidence of 911 calls, and a proposed housing initiative with Montgomery County, Maryland, to address the transition needs of homeless patients. The WAH experience highlights several challenges facing hospitals seeking to be community hubs. Among these: • The full impact of a hospital’s community impact – especially beyond health impacts – is rarely measured and rewarded, leading to insufficient incentives for hospitals to realize their full potential.
    [Show full text]
  • Electrical Energy Quality Analysis in Hospital Centres
    Smart Grid and Renewable Energy, 2021, 12, 53-63 https://www.scirp.org/journal/sgre ISSN Online: 2151-4844 ISSN Print: 2151-481X Electrical Energy Quality Analysis in Hospital Centres Abdourahimoun Daouda*, Sani Idi Boubabacar, Moctar Mossi Idrissa, Saidou Madougou Laboratoire d’Energétique, d’Electronique, d’Electrotechnique, d’Automatique et d’Informatique Industrielle, Université Abdou Moumouni, Niamey, Niger How to cite this paper: Daouda, A., Bou- Abstract babacar, S.I., Mossi, M.I. and Madougou, S. (2021) Electrical Energy Quality Analysis in Today, energy is a vital component in the functioning of a hospital. Hospital Hospital Centres. Smart Grid and Renewa- technical facilities have several types of technologies, these include appliances ble Energy, 12, 53-63. for use; examination apparatus. So, for Quality Health Care in a hospital, https://doi.org/10.4236/sgre.2021.124004 there is a need to ensure the proper functioning of hospital equipment. In ad- Received: April 5, 2021 dition to the required maintenance as specified by the device manufacturer, Accepted: April 27, 2021 the quality of the electrical energy across the device must be ensured. This ar- Published: April 30, 2021 ticle is an analysis of the quality of electric energy at the substation of Nation- al Hospital of Niamey. Thereby, the data collection, followed by the data Copyright © 2021 by author(s) and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. processing and analysis revealed the parameters characterizing the quality of This work is licensed under the Creative electrical energy across the substation. Our studies have shown that the subs- Commons Attribution International tation is underutilized as the maximum inrush current is less than half the License (CC BY 4.0).
    [Show full text]
  • Updated Guidelines for Releasing Information on the Condition Of
    Updated Guidelines for Releasing Information on the Condition of Hospital Patients In South Carolina March 2003 Introduction Hospitals and health systems are responsible for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of their patients and patient information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated regulations that govern privacy standards for health care information. HIPAA regulations specify the purposes for which information may and may not be released without authorization from the patient. This document is provided as a guideline only. It includes suggestions for updating hospital policies regarding release of patient information so that they are consistent with the final changes to the HIPAA medical privacy regulations published in August 2002, as well as the guidance document released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in December 2002. These guidelines have been reviewed by the S.C. Hospital Association, the S.C. Press Association and the S.C. Broadcasters Association. These associations endorse the guidelines as accurately reflecting the HIPAA provisions. Condition and Location of Patients: What You May Release and to Whom Inquiries that identify the patient by name Information about the patients general condition and location of an inpatient, outpatient or emergency department patient may be released only if the inquiry specifically identifies the patient by name. No information may be given if a request does not include a specific patient's name or if the patient requests that the information not be released. This includes inquiries from the press. Inquiries from clergy The HIPAA privacy regulations expressly permit hospitals to release the patient's name, location in the hospital, general condition and religion to clergy members, unless the patient has asked that the information not be released.
    [Show full text]
  • Health-Guide-CHNOLA.Pdf
    Children’s Hospital CARING FOR EVERY CHILD AS OUR OWN. Children’s Hospital is a 224-bed, not-for-profit academic pediatric medical center offering a comprehensive range of healthcare services, including preventive care, routine childhood treatments and lifesaving care from our specialists. With 43 pediatric specialties and more than 100 subspecialists, it is the only free-standing, full-service hospital exclusively for children in Louisiana and the Gulf South. Critical care is provided in the hospital’s 36-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), 18-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and 20-bed Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU), the only one dedicated entirely to the care of cardiac patients from birth to adulthood in Louisiana. With the largest number of specialists dedicated to treating children in the state, Children’s Hospital offers services so specialized, no other facility can claim them. Last year, Children’s Hospital cared for children from all 64 parishes in Louisiana, 43 states and 9 countries. BY THE NUMBERS 1,852 266 2,245 ACTIVE EMPLOYEES PHYSICIANS VOLUNTEERS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL 224 39 193,792 SPECIALTY PROGRAMS 43 Pediatric Specialties INPATIENT BEHAVIORAL TOTAL PRIMARY AND BEDS HEALTH BEDS SPECIALITY CARE CLINIC VISITS Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders Critical Care WEBSTER 64MOREHOUSMOREHOUSEE CLAIBORNE UNION WEST 380 CARROLCARROLLL BOSSIER CADDO LINCOLN EAST 45,156 CARROLL OUACHITA RICHLANRICHLANDD JACKSOJACKSONN BIENVILLE MADISOMADISONN REREDD DE SOTSOTOO RIVER FRANKLIN CALDWELL TENSAS 64WINN LA SALLE CATAHOULCATAHOULAA GRANGRANTT SABINE NATCHITOCHENATCHITOCHESS CONCORDICONCORDIAA RAPIDERAPIDESS AVOYELLEAVOYELLESS VERNOVERNONN Dialysis & Renal Care WEST EAST STST.. FELICIANFELICIANAA FELICIANFELICIANAA HELENA WASHINGTON ALLEALLENN BEAUREGARD EVANGELINE POINTE EAST TANGIPAHOA ST. LANDRY COUPEE BATOBATONN WEST ROUGE BATOBATONN LIVINGSTOLIVINGSTONN ST.
    [Show full text]
  • Financial Assistance Summary English
    Financial Assistance Summary White Plains Hospital Center (hereafter referred to as the “Hospital”) recognizes that there are times when patients in need of care will have difficulty paying for the services provided. Under our Financial Assistance Policy, discounts may be provided to qualifying individuals based on their income. In addition, we can help you apply for free or low-cost insurance if you qualify. Just contact a Financial Counselor at 914-681-1004 or go to 101 E. Post Rd, 3rd Floor (Business Office) for free, confidential assistance. Who qualifies for a discount? Financial Assistance is available for patients with limited incomes and no health insurance. The Hospital also provides financial assistance, including payment arrangements, upon request, to qualifying patients who have insurance coverage but have an out-of-pocket expense that they cannot afford or deem a hardship. Any financial aid allowance will be determined on a case-by- case basis, upon completion of a Financial Assistance application and submission of required documentation. You may apply for a discount regardless of immigration status. What services are covered? Everyone who resides in New York State who needs emergency services can receive care from the Hospital and qualify for a discount if they meet certain income limits and are determined eligible by the Hospital. Everyone who resides in Bronx, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties can qualify for a discount on non-emergency, “medically necessary services” (as this term is defined in the Hospital’s Financial Assistance Policy) if they meet certain income limits and are determined eligible by the Hospital.
    [Show full text]
  • Bringing Hospital-Level Care to the Patient 3
    Case Study CARE MODELS FOR High-Need, High-Cost The Hospital at Home Model: Bringing Patients Hospital-Level Care to the Patient August 2016 Sarah Klein, Martha Hostetter, and Douglas McCarthy PROGRAM AT A GLANCE KEY FEATURES Offers patients who need to be hospitalized the option of receiving This case study is one in an ongoing hospital-level care at home for conditions that can be safely treated there. series examining programs that aim to improve outcomes and reduce costs of TARGET POPULATION Patients who require hospitalization for conditions with well- care for patients with complex needs, defined treatment protocols, such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pul- who account for a large share of U.S. monary disease. health care spending. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Patients often are more comfortable receiving care in a familiar For more information about this brief, home environment. For the frail and elderly in particular, hospital stays can pose a variety please contact: of health threats, including delirium, infections, and falls. Hospitals also have high fixed costs. Sarah Klein BENEFITS Excluding physician fees, the average cost of caring for patients at home rather The Commonwealth Fund than the hospital is 19 percent lower. Clinical outcomes are comparable or better, while [email protected] patient satisfaction is higher. CHALLENGES A sufficient and predictable number of enrolled patients is needed to develop economies of scale and justify the investment in dedicated staff. The mission of The Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high performance health care system. The Fund carries out this mandate by INTRODUCTION supporting independent research on In June, 67-year-old Felimon Bailon showed up in an emergency department at health care issues and making grants to improve health care practice and Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a large and policy.
    [Show full text]
  • Strengthening Healthcare and Public Health Sector Risk Management and Resilience November 2016
    Strengthening Healthcare and Public Health Sector Risk Management and Resilience November 2016 CHALLENGE: Resilience of Hospitals The end users are hospitals and public health agencies that need to maintain independence from the electric grid Healthcare and public health leaders are responsible to and provide enhanced safety and security for patients and their boards of directors and patients for, among many workers. other things, the safety and security of their critical infrastructure. Standard operating plans for hospitals requires evacuation when the power is out for an extended period and backup generators cannot be refueled. A shortcoming of this policy is that long-term regional or nationwide outages would require shutting down hospitals when they are needed most. Local power generation and fuel storage needs to be provided economically so that hospitals can be resilient in the face of the threats to large, vulnerable, centralized grids. This project will help educate healthcare and public health leaders on low frequency threats (including cyber and electromagnetic pulse [EMP] events) that could shut down large numbers of hospitals. It will also suggest ways for leaders to maintain resilience of their critical Electrical power substation (DHS) infrastructure in a cost-effective manner. APPROACH: Develop materials and demonstrate NEXT STEPS: Development and Implementation effectiveness of resilience efforts The project team is recruiting and making contacts with A steering committee has been established that will interested hospitals and has identified subcontractors for oversee two teams: partnership. Upon receiving signed letters of agreement from the hospital chief executive officers, the team will 1. One team will research and develop a handbook provide consultations and develop financial profiles to and website using nontechnical terms to educate demonstrate the cost effectiveness of EMP-protected healthcare and public health leaders about EMP microgrids.
    [Show full text]
  • What to Ask...When Visiting a Hospital Maternity Ward
    WHAT TO ASK What to Ask … When Visiting a Hospital Maternity Area hoosing where you will give birth is a big decision. We encourage you to visit potential birth settings, to talk with staff and to print and bring this list of questions—and a notebook to write downC answers and thoughts. Revisiting this tool throughout pregnancy as you learn more can help ensure your maternity care stays in step with your priorities (keep in mind that you can change care arrangements during pregnancy if you choose). Visit ChildbirthConnection.org/HealthyPregnancy for more information about many of the topics mentioned below. Services and Practices • Is there a birth center in the hospital? If so, how does care in the birth center differ from “regular” hospital maternity care? • Would I labor and give birth in one room, or would I need to move right before my baby is born? • Would I stay in the same room for the rest of the stay after giving birth? Companions During Labor and Birth • Do you have any policies that limit the number of people who may be with me during labor and birth? Can the baby’s siblings be present? Is there an age restriction? • Do you have experience with trained labor support (doulas) during labor and birth? Do you encourage the use of doula care? Does the hospital offer its own doula program? Doula care offers a lot of benefits and has no known risks. Did You Know? 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW | Suite 650 | Washington, DC 20009 | 202.986.2600 | www.NationalPartnership.org Care Around the Time of Birth • How do you feel about elective induction (when there is no health problem)? Did You Know? Some maternity care providers are becoming interested in offering elective induction at 39 weeks.
    [Show full text]