La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-9121

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section I-9121 - Emergency Preparedness

A. The HAA shall have an emergency preparedness plan which conforms to the current Office of Emergency Preparedness model plan and is designed to manage the consequences of natural disasters or other emergencies that disrupt the HHA's ability to provide care and treatment or threaten the lives or safety of its patients. The HHA is responsible for obtaining a copy of the current Home Health Emergency Preparedness Model Plan from the Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness.

B. At a minimum, the agency shall have a written plan that describes:

1. the evacuation procedures for agency patients who require community assistance as well as for those with available caregivers to another location;

2. the delivery of essential care and services to agency patients, whether they are in a shelter or other locations;

3. the provisions for the management of staff, including distribution and assignment of responsibilities and functions;

4. a plan for coordinating transportation services required for evacuating agency patients to another location; and

5. assurance that the agency shall notify the patient's family or caregiver, if patient is evacuated to another location.

C. The HHA's plan shall be activated at least annually, either in response to an emergency or in a planned drill. The HHA's performance during the activation of the plan shall be evaluated and documented. The plan shall be revised if the agency's performance during an actual emergency or a planned drill indicates that it is necessary.

D. Any updates or revisions to the plan shall be submitted to the parish Office of Emergency Preparedness for review. The parish Office of Emergency Preparedness shall review the HHA's plan by utilizing community wide resources.

E. As a result of an evacuation order issued by the parish Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP), it may be necessary for an HHA to temporarily relocate outside of its licensed geographic service area. In such a case, the agency may request a waiver to operate outside of its licensed location for a time period not to exceed 90 days in order to provide needed services to its patients and/or other evacuees of the affected areas. The agency shall provide documentation as required by the department.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-9121

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 18:57 (January 1992), amended LR 21:177 (February 1995), LR 27:2249 (December 2001), Amended LR 32:846 (May 2006), amended by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 481838 (7/1/2022).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and R.S. 40:2116.31 et seq.