On September 8, 2016, CMS issued its Final Rule establishing requirements for hospitals and other providers and suppliers to plan and prepare for natural and man-made disasters. CMS explained that it is adopting the new requirements to address deficiencies in providers’ emergency readiness revealed by recent disasters like Hurricane Sandy. The Final Rule addresses what CMS calls the “three key essentials” necessary to ensure continued access to healthcare services during emergencies: safeguarding human resources, maintaining business continuity, and protecting physical resources.

The Final Rule establishes four standards that CMS will require hospitals and other providers to meet. First, facilities must perform a risk assessment that considers the particular kinds of disasters likely to occur in their geographic area. Second, CMS will require facilities to develop and implement comprehensive policies and procedures for emergency preparedness. The specific policies and procedures required will vary depending upon the type of facility. Third, facilities must develop and maintain a communication plan to coordinate patient care with other providers and with state and local public health departments and emergency systems. Finally, each facility must develop training and testing programs. Facilities must conduct initial training for new and existing staff and provide annual refresher trainings. CMS will also require facilities to conduct drills and exercises to test plans and identify areas for improvement.

The Final Rule will be published in the Federal Register on September 16, 2016, and will take effect on November 15, 2016. A public inspection copy is available here. For more information from CMS, please click here.