Power outages can be a chaotic and stressful time for any business, but when lives are on the line, it’s important to address the problem quickly. Illnesses and injuries don’t take a break, and it’s important for medical professionals to be ready to handle any problems that might occur while treating patients. Let’s take a closer look at how health care providers can protect their patients and themselves during a power outage:
“The rules prevent breakdowns in patient care that were experienced in past disasters.”
Follow disaster readiness procedures
Health care is one of the most regulated industries, with standards for everything from securing medical data to giving patients the proper care. Similarly, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released requirements that health care providers and suppliers would have to meet in their disaster preparedness plans. According to The New York Times, the rules are meant to prevent breakdowns in patient care that were experienced in past disasters while strengthening the ability to provide services during emergencies. The guidelines also specify provisions for 17 different provider types, including those that patients rely on at home.
While some disasters cannot be completely avoided, preparing accordingly will help organizations effectively take on these challenges. By following the disaster readiness rules and procedures laid out by federal groups, medical facilities will be more likely to stay open, care for patients and recover quickly. This step will help improve the quality and safety of patient care at all times.
Maintain your backup systems
An uninterruptible power supply unit should be the central component within your disaster readiness plan. UPS solutions ensure that power is seamlessly transferred so that critical machines can continue operating or be gracefully shut down while other accommodations are made. The Healthcare & Public Health Sector Coordinating Councils noted that having a backup system in place can prevent the loss of respiratory devices and other critical equipment, keep the lights on, maintain access to key medical supplies and enable patient signaling systems. These functions alone will help medical professionals provide quality care and perform necessary procedures.
It’s clear that a UPS system brings a number of benefits to protect patients during an outage, but it must be properly maintained. How do you know that your unit will kick on when you need it most? Are you positive that it will be able to support all of your critical systems? The best thing to do is to test your UPS solution and set a preventive maintenance schedule. Testing the UPS unit will give you peace of mind that your assets are accessible in an emergency. Preventive maintenance is equally important as it helps identify emerging issues and allows organizations to replace or repair the system. For more on protecting patients with a UPS unit, contact Energy Control Systems today.