Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and earthquakes may be self evident and staff can
self report to the collection point. Others may not
be well advertised and a call out plan is required
to assure enough staff to assist with the disaster.
Since Security is in house at all times, they can
dispatch via alpha numeric pagers that a disaster
has occurred. The on-call technician is now the
person in charge and initiates response to the
hospital as well as activating the telephone tree.
Resumption of normal business operations is an
important part of disaster management. It is critical
to go back and assure that everything truly is func-
tioning properly. Depending on the disaster this
may be simple or very complex. As an example:
After a significant earthquake, everything that is
attached to the walls must be tested to be assured
it is still attached properly. Clinical Engineering
technicians know most of the hospital and may
join Facilities Engineering or other teams that are
doing secondary and tertiary surveys of individual
clinical units and facilities in general. Some areas
of concern, network closets, dedicated air condi-
tioning units for MRI and CT and other high-
tech medical equipment, medical gas manifolds,
compressors and piping, steam and sterilization
capacity, dialysis water systems.
Clinical Engineering has access to the hospitals
various communications systems and implemented
a system for after hours access to all technical
staff.
A roll of quarters is in the departmental disaster
kit so in case all else fails so you can use the
pay phone.
The Clinical Engineering inventory and data
restoration procedures for your FDA software
based technology is up to date.
Critical information in the Clinical Engineering
department is stored in a reliable and redundant
manner.
The Disaster plan is practiced on a routine basis.
Information gathered from the plans is used to
improve existing plans.
Routinely the managers of Clinical Engineering
programs in surrounding hospitals meet to discuss
relevant topics, including Emergency Prepared-
ness. A signed “Mutual Aid” agreement may be a
work product of this peer group.
Hopefully, you will never need any of this, but
it will have taken minimal effort to implement and
you just never know in today's world.
Appendix Disaster Action Sheet
Normal Work Hours Hospital
Clinical Engineering
1. All staff immediately report to clinical engi-
neering (CLE) main shop area. Check in,
accounted for and pick up radio on CLE
channel.
2. Emergency group page all staff of event.
3. Locate any staff not accounted for.
4. Supervisor or designee is in charge of all staff
and assigments.
5. One technician assigned to main shop to
answer primary phone number.
6. All staff to monitor radios on CLE channel
during entire event.
7. Director or senior supervisor reports to
command center and checks in on behalf of
CLE with staff status.
16.11 Putting it all Together
Some keys
to successful
implementation of
Disaster Response include:
Clinical Engineering participates in the hospitals
disaster committee.
Clinical Engineering has a departmental disaster
plan and immediate action check list. Clin-
ical Engineering Department orientation includes
review of the departmental disaster plan.
Clinical Engineering maintains a departmental
“disaster kit” (Figures 16.1 and 16.2) that is readily
available and is checked semi-annually.
Clinical Engineering Technicians are made
aware of their importance to the operation, and
requested to review data and implement a family
emergency plan.
Key vendors have field service representatives
assigned specifically to your hospital in event of a
disaster.
