Severe Weather Emergencies – summary2-6-2013-kj,bm;rh Draft

Severe Weather Preparedness

In the event severe weather is predicted by The National Weather Service, the CEO, COO, HR Director Facilities Director and TIC Administrative Directors will implement the severe weather preparedness process:

  • The HR Director will send out notices to TMC Directors and TIC Administrative Directorsreminding them of the policy on staff notifications and staff compensation in the event of severe weather.
  • The COO will work with TIC Administrative Directors, or their designee, to implement the Operations severe weather preparedness process.
  • TIC Administrative Directors will alert designated Essential Functions personnel of pending severe weather, print out the Emergency Appointment Schedule and notify appropriate personnel to take the schedule home with them.

Severe Weather Event

The CEO, in collaboration with the COO and HR Director, will monitor weather conditions. The CEO is responsible to declare the level of TIC operationsand communicate the declaration to the COO and HR Director by 5:30 a.m. The COO and HR Director are responsible for communicating and implementing severe weather processes based on the CEO declared level of operations as defined below.

Designated Levels of Operations

Closed -This would typically apply if winds are 30-40 mph and snowfall is at or predicted above 12

inches.

Upon notification from the CEO of a “Closed” designation:

oThe COO will:

  • Text TIC Administrative Directors, or their designee, notifying them of the “Closed” designation and instruct them to implement the applicable departmental emergency communication plans.
  • Individual Administrative Directors are responsible for:

Implementing the applicable weather emergency communication plans for notifying scheduled patients of the closure.

Providing the applicable answering services a script of the closure including contact information for the designated physician on call.

Recording a message on the departmental phone line, if applicable (i.e. remote locations), of the closure.

  • Text the Facilities Director notifying him of the “Closed” designation. The Facilities Director is responsible for securing all TIC properties.
  • Text the CIO notifying her of the closure. The CIO is responsible for securing IT systems and notifying the applicable “on-call” IT staff and couriers.

oThe HR Director will:

  • Contact the Marketing Director notifying her of the “Closed” designation.
  • The Marketing Director is responsible for placing appropriate notices to the public of the closure including, but not limited to recording a message on the main Iowa Clinic and TIC Administration phone lines, placing notifications with applicable media, etc.
  • Record a message on the main HR phone line notifying all staff of the “Closed” designation.
  • Text all TMC Directors notifying them of the “Closed” designation.

Essential Operations Only –This would typically apply if winds are at or predicted below 20-25

mph and snowfall is predicted below 12 inches, but weather is

consideredhazardous.

Designated Essential Operations Areas

  • IT – remote
  • Endoscopy - WL
  • Surgery –Downtown/Hospital
  • Medical Imaging – WL & Downtown
  • Clinical Laboratory – WL & Downtown
  • Internal & Family Medicine – WL, Downtown & Ankeny

(Until Urgent Care is developed and open)

Note: While remote locations are not listed as designated essential operations areas, severe weather conditions may vary at individual remote locations. As a result, physicians at remote locations may determine whether essential functions are possible at their location. The applicable Administrative Director will be responsible for coordinating communication with the COO, staff and scheduled patients as appropriate.

Staffing

  • Physicians within individual departments are responsible for designating a physician(s) to staff their clinic in an “Essential Operations Only” designation.
  • Administrative Directors are responsible for working with staff living within the metro area to develop a list of those with potential ability to come to work during an “Essential Operations Only” designation”.

Upon notification from the CEO of an “Essential Operations Only” designation:

oThe COO will:

  • Text TIC Administrative Directors, or their designee, notifying them of the “Essential Operations Only” designation and instruct them to implement the applicable departmental emergency communication plans.
  • Individual departments are responsible for:

Implementing the applicable weather emergency communication plans for notifying designated staff and scheduled patients of the “Essential Operations Only” designation. This communication includes:

  • Contacting designated essential functions only physician(s) and staff to assess their ability to report to work and keeping in contact with the COO regarding the status of “Essential Operations” departments and staffing.
  • Cancelling scheduled patients with appointments in departments which will be closed.
  • Advising scheduled patients in “Essential Operations” departments of the reduced staffing and encouraging them to reschedule. Patients with appointments in “Essential Operations” departments who indicate they will attempt to come in should be advised to call ahead to assure staff have arrived and be encouraged to use extreme caution if attempting to come to the Clinic.

Providing the applicable answering services a script of the “Essential Operations Only” designation including departments that will attempt to be open and contact information for the designated physician on call.

Recording a message on the departmental phone line, if applicable (i.e. remote locations), of the closure or “Essential Operations Only” designation.

  • Text the Facilities Director notifying him of the “Essential Operations Only” designation and keep in contact regarding the status of “Essential Operations” departments. The Facilities Director is responsible to appropriately manage access to “Essential Operations” departments and securing TIC properties as applicable.
  • Text the CIO notifying her of the “Essential Functions Only” designation and keep in contact regarding the status of “Essential Operations” departments. The CIO is responsible for appropriately managing access to IT systems and notifying the applicable “on-call” IT staff and couriers.

oThe HR Director will:

  • Contact the Marketing Director notifying her of the “Essential Functions Only” designation.
  • The Marketing Director is responsible for placing appropriate notices to the public of the “Essential Functions Only” designation including, but not limited to recording a message on the main Iowa Clinic and TIC Administration phone lines, placing notifications with applicable media, etc.
  • Record a message on the main HR phone line notifying all staff of the “Essential Functions Only” designation.
  • Text all TMC Directors notifying them of the “Essential Functions Only” designation.

Essential Operations & Delayed Start–This wouldtypically apply if severe weather occurs,

but is predicted to subside later in the day.

The CEO maydecide to postpone a decision on whether to declare “Closed” or “Essential Operations Only” when severe weather is predicted to subside later in the day. A declaration of “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” enacts the “Essential Operations Only” process for “Essential Operations” departments and a “Delayed Start” for all other departments. The CEO will communicate the declaration and the “Delayed Start” time to the COO and HR Director. Should the CEO determine at a later time that either “Closed” or “Essential Operations Only” designations should be declared, the CEO will notify the COO and HR Director who will communicate with appropriate personnel in accordance with the appropriate designation communication plans described above.

Note: Severe weather conditions may vary at individual remote locations. As a result, physicians, in collaboration with the applicable TIC Administrative Director and the COO, may determine a “Delayed Start” designation is not necessary at their location or should be a different time than the “Delayed Start” time established by the CEO. The applicable Administrative Director will be responsible for coordinating communication with the COO, staff and scheduled patients as appropriate.

Upon notification from the CEO of an “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time:

oThe COO will:

  • Text TIC Administrative Directors, or their designee, notifying them of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation including the “Delayed Start” time for non-essential operations departments and instruct them to implement the applicable departmental emergency communication plans.
  • Individual Administrative Directors are responsible for:

Implementing the applicable weather emergency communication plans for cancelling scheduled patients in non-essential operations departments prior to the “Delayed Start” time.

Providing the applicable answering services a script of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time including contact information for the designated physician on call.

Recording a message on the departmental phone line, if applicable (i.e. satellite locations), of the “Delayed Start” time.

  • Text the Facilities Director notifying him of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time. The Facilities Director is responsible to appropriately manage access to TIC properties as applicable.
  • Text the CIO notifying her of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time. . The CIO is responsible for appropriately managing access to IT systems and notifying the applicable “on-call” IT staff. Couriers will be notified if “Delayed Start” times vary at remote locations.

oThe HR Director will:

  • Contact the Marketing Director notifying her of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time.
  • The Marketing Director is responsible for placing appropriate notices to the public of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and timeincluding, but not limited to recording a message on the main Iowa Clinic and TIC Administration phone lines, placing notifications with applicable media, etc.
  • Record a message on the main HR phone line notifying all staff of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time.
  • Text all TMC Directors notifying them of the “Essential Operations & Delayed Start” designation and time.

Normal Clinic Operations – This wouldapply if severe weather has been monitored and it is

determined that it is not necessary to implement severe weather

emergency processes.

If severe weather is being monitored by the CEO and it is determined that the Clinic will be open, he will notify the COO and the HR Director.

Note: Severe weather conditions may vary at individual remote locations. As a result, physicians at remote locations may determine a “Delayed Start” designation is necessary at their location even though “Normal Clinic Operations” has been declared at the West Lakes and Downtown locations. The applicable Administrative Director will be responsible for coordinating communication with the COO, staff and scheduled patients as appropriate.

Upon notification from the CEO of a “Normal Clinic Operations” designation:

oThe COO will:

  • Text TIC Administrative Directors, or their designee, notifying them of the “Normal Clinic Operations” designation.
  • Text the Facilities Director notifying him of the “Normal Clinic Operations” designation and communicating any alternative decisions made by physicians at a remote location, if applicable. The Facilities Director is responsible for managing all TIC properties appropriately.
  • Text the CIO notifying her of the “Normal Clinic Operations” designation and communicating any alternative decisions made by physicians at a remote location, if applicable.

oThe HR Director will:

  • Text all TMC Directors notifying them of the “Normal Clinic Operations” designation.
  • Record a message on the main HR phone line notifying all staff of the “Normal Clinic Operations” designation and urge them to use discretion regarding whether travel for them is possible.

Early Closure –This designation wouldapply if severe weather occurs during a regular work day.

The CEOwill determine if The Iowa Clinic will close early due to bad weather based on predicted weather conditions and patient cancellations.

Upon notification from the CEO of an “Early Closure” designation and the time:

oThe COO will:

  • Text TIC Administrative Directors, or their designee, notifying them of the “Early Closure” designation and the time.
  • Text the Facilities Director notifying him of the “Early Closure” designation and time. The Facilities Director is responsible for managing all TIC properties appropriately.
  • Text the CIO notifying her of the “Early Closure” designation and time. The CIO is responsible for appropriately managing IT systems and notifying the applicable “on-call” IT staff and couriers.

oThe HR Director will notify all TMC Directors of the “Early Closure” designation and time.