Preparing for the Unknown

With ingenuity and extraordinary commitment, many health care organizations have confronted the pandemic’s challenges and controlled its devastating impacts. In the future, however, the harsh reality is that we must look beyond past experiences to worst case scenarios we can only imagine and prepare for the unknown. The following guideposts are a good place to begin.

 

Don’t wait for the news bulletin. The heat of a crisis is no time to determine your needs. Each day MorseLife Health System takes care of 800 residents on our campus, with in our independent and assisted living facilities, short-term and long-term care, as well as thousands of seniors in our at-home care programs that include meals-on-wheels and PACE. What transportation will we require during a crisis? What special needs must be accommodated? What is our inventory of necessary supplies? What challenges will caregivers and staff face and how can we help? Now is the time to have all this information at our fingertips.

 

In addition to auditing your needs, take the time now to identify the best resources for governmental and regulatory updates and the contacts at these agencies who can address your specific concerns, rather than waiting for official government notifications.

 

Take stock. Even the most diligent planning and investment cannot foresee all future needs. As part of our substantial, ongoing commitment to the safety of our residents and caregivers, MorseLife spent over $160 million for new hurricane-resistant construction and generators that can remain fully operational for up to 19 days. We did not know however, that soon we also would need to stock warehouses full of PPE and, like everyone else, would find ourselves scouring an unregulated marketplace for pandemic supplies. Going forward, our plans will include securing a robust inventory from reliable supply chains.

 

Take note that unforeseen challenges demand additional budgets to meet crucial needs and responsibilities increase as everyday life changes. When hurricanes loom, MorseLife sets up shelters and day care centers so employees and their families can remain safe and able to work. With no date in sight for schools to reopen due to COVID-19, we now find ourselves collaborating with daycare centers so our staff can come to work.

 

Taking into consideration all these necessities, we estimate the cost of safeguarding our residents, clients and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic has added a staggering $450,000 a month to our budget. Despite the exorbitant cost, all these items are absolute necessities.

 

Devise a battleplan. It is up to us to deploy our caregivers and staff where needed, protect them and give them the tools they need to succeed. This may include engaging additional caregivers, security and maintenance staff. 

 

A battleplan against the unknown requires creative thinking and flexibility, such as when we move our most vulnerable at-home care and hospice patients to our MorseLife campus during a hurricane. Similarly, in response to COVID-19 safety precautions, we replaced volunteers with staff for vital Meals-on-Wheels deliveries. 

 

Open lines of communication are essential to a battleplan. COVID-19 has shown us that communication between families and patients cannot wait until the storm has passed. Smart phones and tablets have created the expectation of uninterrupted contact during tough times. At the onset of the pandemic, we purchased additional tablets and assigned staff to help residents connect with family and use the Internet for reading, entertainment and even shopping. Moving forward, our battleplan will include enhanced availability of devices and popular channels of communication.

 

COVID-19 was a game-changer for those of us who are entrusted with the care of others. Moving forward, we must remain equally vigilant about planning for disruptions we know and those we can only imagine.