Page 34 - 2021 MHA Start-up Guide

MORE ON RISK AND CONTINGENCY PLANNING

Planning for problems early means that you won’t have to scramble when a machine goes
down at a rural service site or your driver calls out with the flu. Contingency planning breaks
down into four basic categories: daily operations, incidents, catastrophic incidents and long-
term planning . Each comes with a checklist of items to review and re-review regularly .

Have you accounted for the following?

Daily operations Catastrophic incidents
• Are all licenses up to date and posted? • In the event of a road accident, do you
• Have all ancillary staff members been have procedures for collecting photo ev-
trained and documented? idence, making safety decisions, filing
• Have all professional competencies been police reports, drug and alcohol testing,
completed, including machines, scales, etc.?
infection control, pediatric client policy, • Do you have back-up service plans in
HIPAA and other privacy issues? place in case the vehicle is totaled?
• Have drivers been trained in daily and • Does your program have comprehensive
monthly procedures, including daily pe- insurance for your vehicle?
rimeter checks, machine and battery • Does your malpractice insurance cover
checks, equipment tie-down, truck main- incidents that take place on your vehi-
tenance, route mapping, etc.? cle?
• Do you have a back-up driver available?
• Have you established visit cancellation
policies and procedures, including com- Long-term planning
munication plans with site partners? • What is your board review policy?
• Have you planned for information back- • Are board members allowed on the vehi-
up and access to information should your cle during client care?
system go down? • Do you have back-up funds in case of
• Have you arranged for vehicle and pro- loss of funding?
gram insurance • Have you trained staff for inspections?
• Do you have a vehicle-replacement plan?
• Do you have procedures in place for staff
Incidents succession?
• Do you have procedures in place for a
health-related reportable event or staff Additional planning
injury?
• Do you have procedures in place for a • Have you developed an established re-
vehicle-related malfunction? porting procedure including to whom, in
• Do you have safety and security pro- what format, and how often?
cedures in place, including cases of vi-
olence or threats against staff, harass-
ment of clients or staff, theft or fraud
(especially of records), vandalism or ICE
demands?

32 MOBILE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM STAR T-UP GUIDE