Hospital leaders and the operators of other critical healthcare facilities face enormous pressures following a disaster. Protecting backup power is one of the most important missions as failure of backup power systems can turn an emergency into a life-threatening crisis and force facilities to consider emergency evacuations.
Powered for Patients is working closely with hospitals and other critical healthcare facilities to help them safeguard backup power systems.
Powered for Patients is also working with utilities to enhance the prioritized restoration process for critical healthcare facilities by facilitating increased dialogue between utilities, healthcare leaders and government officials before disaster strikes.
Powered for Patients is also helping healthcare facilities address the complicated maze of code requirements, accreditation standards and government requirements relating to emergency preparedness that are sometimes in conflict.
Powered for Patients has enjoyed the support and active engagement of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. In 2016, Powered for Patients began working with ASHE to launch the joint Healthcare Leadership Initiative on Maintenance of Power.
Powered for Patients has also worked closely with the nation’s largest dialysis providers, the Kidney Coalition for Emergency Response (KCER), the National Renal Administrators Association and the American Healthcare Association, which represents operators of the nation’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
If you or your healthcare facility would like to get involved in a Powered for Patients initiative, please email info@poweredforpatients.org.
Share a Best Practice
If you believe your organization is employing a best practice in safeguarding backup power, such as coordinating with utilities and government officials to enhance coordination or increase situational awareness of facility generator status, we encourage you to share these best practices with Powered for Patients. You can do so by emailing a simple narrative or a copy of your best practice to info@poweredforpatients.org. Please let us also know if we can share your best practice on this website.
What Healthcare Leaders Are Saying About Powered for Patients
“Our members are the individuals largely responsible for the operation of generators in hospitals so they have front line experience in making sure generators are ready to operate before, during and following a major disaster. We’re excited to work with Powered for Patients on behalf of our members and to help address the issue of backup power in healthcare facilities. We look forward to contributing our expertise and our members’ perspective as Powered for Patients advances its research and develops its report and recommendations on improving patient safety through backup power.”
Jonathan Flannery, MHSA, CHFM, FASHE
Senior Associate Director of Advocacy
American Society for Healthcare Engineering