Hurricane Florence Is Already Here—Will You Be Ready When Disaster Strikes Your Area?

Predictions for widespread destruction of property and threats to human life are everywhere as Hurricane Florence takes aim at the southeastern coast of the United States, with North Carolina and South Carolina expected to take the biggest hit. Unfortunately, according to a new survey released by DrFirst, many healthcare organizations say they lack confidence in their own disaster preparedness. And it’s not because they think they’re immune; 68% of respondents from acute, ambulatory, hospice, and homecare organizations report they’ve been affected by two or more disasters in the past 5 years, but still don’t have a disaster plan they consider to be sound. While 45% said they believe telehealth is a viable option to provide care when transportation is compromised because of disaster, more than half worry that connectivity and other technical issues could void that. Besides, only 27% think their organization has adequate telehealth capabilities to begin with. JUCM published a roundtable discussion of urgent care leaders on this very topic, with participants talking about how their organizations communicate with their staff and communities, efforts to have key staff available to treat patients, and other essential considerations. You can read Disaster Strikes—What’s the Plan for Your Urgent Care Center? In our archive.