Emergency Preparedness
Definition: A comprehensive program that nursing homes must develop and maintain to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks, and other emergencies.
In Practice
CMS requires facilities to have an emergency plan, policies and procedures, a communication plan, and a training and testing program. The plan must be based on a facility-based and community-based risk assessment. Facilities must conduct drills at least annually. Post-pandemic, emergency preparedness standards have been strengthened significantly.