Business Continuity Plan: Emergency Care in the Time of Crisis

Summary: The ability of a healthcare entity to serve its community during and after a disaster begins with a foundational indicator: remaining operational. This factor is facilitated by a business continuity plan in the health service sector, which can be labeled as a health service continuity plan. It is defined as the capability of an organization to continue the delivery of services at acceptable predefined levels following a disruptive incident. An all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness and business continuity planning will allow for flexibility in addressing different types of hazards, but it can also define the specific needs of certain hazards. The objectives for continuity of operations include ensuring the safety of personnel, the performance of the institution’s essential functions, protection of assets, minimizing damages and losses, reducing disruptions in operations, and achieving an orderly recovery from an incident. It also includes identifying relocation sites, as well as ensuring that operational and managerial requirements are met before a disaster strikes. The focus in business continuity planning is on the mission-critical functions. This is done by examining the organization’s core mandate and whether these functions are vital to delivering services even during emergencies. The goal is to make health systems more resilient to the impact of public health emergencies.