Imagine a power outage during a storm, leaving your home health patients without life-supporting equipment. Or a wildfire forcing you to evacuate hospice patients with no clear relocation plan. Emergencies in home health and hospice settings are high-stakes, yet many agencies don’t even realize they’re unprepared.
At The Home Health Consultant, we’ve helped countless agencies develop compliant and effective Emergency Preparedness (EP) Programs. We help you ensure patient safety while meeting CMS requirements.
In this guide, we’ll show you exactly what’s required for emergency preparedness, including
- Medicare Conditions of Participation requirements
- Best practices for risk assessment
- Real-world steps you can take today to strengthen your agency’s emergency response
After reading, you’ll understand exactly what you need to do to stay compliant and protect your patients during an emergency.
What Is Emergency Preparedness?
Emergency Preparedness, also known as Disaster Preparedness, became a required component of home health and hospice operations in 2018.
To ensure patient safety in crisis situations, agencies must:
- develop a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Program
- train staff annually
- conduct practice drills twice a year
What Are the CMS Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Home Health & Hospice?
A strong Emergency Preparedness Program includes several core components:
1. What Is an ‘All-Hazards Approach’ in Home Health Emergency Planning?
Agencies must prepare for all types of emergencies, not just the most common ones in their region. This means developing policies and conducting drills that cover a broad spectrum of disaster scenarios, such as earthquakes, wildfires, power outages, and cyberattacks.
2. What is a Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) for Your Agency?
Each agency must conduct an HVA to assess the likelihood and impact of potential emergencies in their service area. This process involves evaluating:
- Probability of an event occurring
- Effect on the agency’s operations
- Preparedness level of the agency
For example, an inland Los Angeles agency might overlook tsunamis, even if they serve patients in coastal areas. A thorough HVA ensures no critical risks are ignored.
3. What Should Be Included in a Home Health Emergency Program?
Your Emergency Preparedness Program should include the following sections:
- Mitigation/Prevention: Steps to reduce risk before a disaster occurs
- Event Background & Selection Rationale: Why certain emergencies were prioritized
- Patient Education: What patients and caregivers need to know before, during, and after an emergency
- Medical Considerations: Ensuring necessary supplies, equipment, and information are available
- Patient Triage Categories: Categorizing patients based on their medical needs to prioritize care during an emergency
4. Essential Emergency Preparedness Steps for Home Health & Hospice Agencies
Your agency must take proactive steps to prepare for disasters, including:
- Alternate Operations Site: A backup location for agency operations if the primary office is unusable
- Community Risks & Resources: Understanding local hazards and identifying emergency resources such as pharmacies, shelters, and emergency medical transportation
- Communication Channels: Establishing alternative methods of communication, such as emergency radio broadcasts and backup phone numbers
- State and Regional Resources: Maintaining updated contact information for emergency agencies such as the Department of Aging, Emergency Preparedness Organizations, and Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs)
5. How to Respond and Recover from Emergencies in Home Health or Hospice
Once an emergency occurs, your agency must act quickly to protect patients and staff. This involves:
- Implementing a communications plan to ensure rapid information dissemination
- Assigning specific staff roles and responsibilities during an emergency
- Coordinating with community partners for assistance and resources
- Conducting post-event evaluations to refine and improve future response plans
To learn more about the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule, you can explore their resources on the CMS website.
What Are the Consequences of Not Having a Robust Emergency Preparedness Program?
CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) mandates emergency preparedness as part of the Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for home health and hospice agencies.
Failure to comply can result in survey deficiencies, penalties, or even termination from Medicare. More importantly, lack of preparedness puts your patients—many of whom have complex medical needs—at severe risk.
Is Your Home Health Agency Sufficiently Prepared for an Emergency?
Now you know that emergency preparedness is not just about compliance—it’s about patient safety and business continuity. A well-structured Emergency Preparedness Plan protects both your patients and your agency.
Many home health and hospice agencies fail surveys due to poor emergency planning. But more importantly, a lack of preparedness can put lives at risk.
To ensure compliance, the next step is to review your current Emergency Preparedness Plan and identify any gaps. If you’re unsure whether your plan meets CMS requirements, we can help.
At The Home Health Consultant, we specialize in helping home health and hospice agencies create fully compliant, actionable emergency plans. Reach out today for a consultation, and let’s get your agency fully prepared.
*This article was written in consultation with Mariam Treystman.
*Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal, financial, or professional advice. No consultant-client relationship is established by engaging with this content. You should seek the advice of a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding any legal or business matters. The consultant assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.
