Emergency Preparedness

Kern Medical Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

the hospital due to the nature of the emergency in the community) that their loved ones are being relocated and provide the name of the facility where the patient is being relocated, provide name and telephone number of contact individual at the facility. Refer to Section 3.12 of the Emergency Operations Plan ( EOP ) for Mental Health guidance. Kern Medical personnel are identified during emergencies by means of donning their staff identification badges. If an employee does not have his/her badge or it cannot be located, temporary badges can be obtained through the Human Resources, upon verification. Verification will include government photo identification including driver’s license, military ID etc… During a “Code Triage”, Kern Medical staff members are expected to return to their units and provide support to the needs of their departments. Departments are to report their staff and bed availability to the Situation Status Unit. Selected staff members are responsible for carrying out a function on the HICS organizational chart. These staff will wear their appropriate HICS Section or Unit Leader vest indicating their title to inform others they are responsible for that function. In addition, if requested to do so by the HCC, Unit Leaders should send any extra staff to the Labor pool to help the organization respond to the needs of the event. The Labor Pool will assign roles as requests for manpower are received. In the event volunteers from the community come to the hospital, their credentials will be verified through the HICS Logistics Section (i.e. Labor Pool & Credentialing Unit). The assignment of staff response activities during other emergency situations are described within the specific emergency response policy and procedure (i.e. code pink, code purple, code silver, code gray, etc.). The PIO will ensure that all public releases of information protect patient confidentiality. • The logistics leader is responsible for assessing what resources and assets (such as personnel, beds, transportation, linens, fuel, personal protective equipment, medical equipment and supplies) can potentially be shared with other local health care organizations; or with non-local health care organizations in the event of a regional or prolonged disaster. The HCC will coordinate with Kern County EMS potential resources and assets that Kern Medical may expect from other health care organizations and a list of resources and assets that Kern Medical can share with other organizations has been compiled and communicated with all the organizations that are part of the disaster planning entity in the community. This can be an individual provider (such as a doctor or nurse) or an institutional provider (such as another hospital or skilled nursing facility) o Purpose of disclosure Diagnosis or treatment of patient -PHI may be freely shared with other health care providers to diagnose or treat the patient. [Civil Code Section 56.10©(1);45 C.F.R. Section 164.506(c)(2)] To assist the other provider to obtain payment for services

3.9.10

3.9.11 Confidentiality

3.9.11.1 Disclosure of Protected Health Information(PHI) • Potential Recipient of PHI

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