Last week, representatives from Ohio’s Hospice affiliates joined in a training exercise to improve patient support, staff mobilization and assure communication processes for an emergency situation. The exercise encouraged participants to identify resources and collaborate on solutions to emergent situations to best serve our patients, families and communities. The program was led by a member of the Miami County Emergency Management team with participation by representatives of Columbus Emergency Management and Homeland Security as well as emergency transportation services of Miami County. The one-day program enabled Ohio’s Hospice affiliates to jointly participate in an exercise that is required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The Ohio’s Hospice Emergency Tabletop Exercise challenged participants from each affiliate to respond to a scenario that offered escalating issues resulting in potentially life-threatening issues surrounding transportation, supply, communication, and utility service failures. Group members shared strategies for identifying resources and alternatives to address patient care challenges and staff safety needs in response to the scenario. The exercise helped identify strengths and weaknesses across the organization as well as opportunities for increased collaboration in times of crisis. Notes from the exercise will be shared with all affiliates and individual affiliate emergency plans can be updated and improved based on recommendations generated from the process.