1. Are You Prepared

Joint Commission Recommendations

The Joint Commission has required disaster planning for more than 30 years. Its standards provide a framework for comprehensive emergency management. The standards require organizations to identify the potential emergencies that could affect them, and develop a plan that addresses the four phases of emergency management activities: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Emergency management plans must also address command structures, backup communications systems, building evacuations, and coordination with other community health care organizations and emergency responders. These modifications call for accredited organization to take an “ all hazards” approach to disaster planning—using a chain of command to address all hazards that are determined to be credible threats to the community. These standards represent an important evolution in the concept of managing emergencies. Health care organizations are now expected to address these specific phases of disaster planning as well as to participate annually in at least one community wide practice drill.

Joint Commission Recommendations