How Might Disaster Or Emergency Response Planning Be Used

Question Description

How might disaster- or emergency-response planning be used to improve organizational processes?

This is a 200 word answer APA with references.

The reading is below:

The topics and objectives for WeekFour focus on learning project management fundamentals for health care facilityplanning, design, and construction. The desired outcome is an understanding ofthe role of project management and cost estimation as they relate to the designplanning phase (i.e., space, furniture, fixtures, equipment, etc.). Projectmanagement is in many ways the thread that moves a facility from concept, todesign, to construction, and finally operations and maintenance. The detailimplementation plan or Gantt Chart is one of the most critical outputs of theproject management planning phase. Budget planning and cost estimates are alsoderivatives of the planning process and a well-developed implementation plan.To reinforce project management concepts, learners also will develop a standardoperating procedure to address some type of operational process or emergency.Project managers along with the design and construction teams use designplanning as a means to plan the budget and estimate cost. Changes inregulations or regulatory requirements can have an impact on the planningschedule.

What you will cover

1. Health Care Facility Project Management

a. Explain the five process groups used in projectmanagement.

1) The initiating process group includes processesperformed to define a new project or phase of an existing project by gainapproval from the project sponsor.

2) The planning process group includes processesthat establish the scope, refinement of objectives, creation of work breakdownstructure, schedule and project management plan.

3) The executing process group includes processesto carry out the work as described in the project management plan.

4) The monitoring and controlling process groupincludes processes that measure performance of the project and document changerequests.

5) The closing process group includes processes toofficially close the project or a give phase of a project. This could be thedelivery of an intended project or cancellation.

6) Projects and ongoing operations should beclearly differentiated.

b. Evaluate budget planning and cost estimates inhealth care facility design.

1) Plan cost management by determining guidance forplanning, managing, expending, and controlling project costs.

2) Estimate costs by using generally acceptedtechniques to approximate what capital resources are needed to execute projecttasks and activities. To include but not limit to:

a) Expert judgment

b) Analogous estimating

c) Parametric estimating

d) Bottom-up estimating

e) Three-point estimating

(1) Most likely (cM) based on most realistic effortto assess the nexus of work, risk, and expenses

(2) Optimistic (cO) analysis based on the best casescenario of nexus of work, risk, and expenses

(3) Pessimistic (cP) analysis based on the worstcase scenario of nexus of work, risk, and expenses

3) Determine budget by aggregating various projectcost estimates and establishing the authorized cost baseline

4) Control costs by continuously monitoring costsand schedule performance information and updating cost baseline.

a) Understand planned value (PV)

b) Understand earned value (EV)

c) Understand actual cost (AC)

d) Calculate and understand schedule variance(SV=EV-PV)

e) Calculate and understand cost variance(CV=EV-AC)

f) Calculate and understand schedule performanceindex (SPI=EV/PV)

g) Calculate and understand cost performance index(CPI=EV/AC)

c. Explain the steps in an implementation plan.

1) Complete initiation process group processes toget the facility project approved.

2) Logically group tasks and develop work breakdownstructure (WBS).

a) Identify planning tasks and decompose tospecific activities or work packages.

b) Identify design tasks and decompose to specificactivities or work packages.

c) Identify construction tasks and decompose tospecific activities or work packages.

d) Identify facility opening tasks and decompose tospecific activities or work packages

3) Translate WBS to project schedule.

a) Estimate the duration of tasks/activities.

b) Estimate the planned start date fortasks/activities.

c) Estimate the planned finish date fortasks/activities.

d) Determine predecessor tasks.

e) Understand schedule tasks/activities dependencyrelationships.

(1) Start-to-Finish (SF)— A logical relationship inwhich a successor activity cannot finishuntil a predecessor activity starts.

(2) Start-to-Start (SS)— A logical relationship inwhich a successor activity cannot startuntil a predecessor activity starts.

(3) Finish-to-Finish (FF)— A logical relationship inwhich a successor activity cannot finishuntil a predecessor activity has finished.

(4) Finish-to-Start (FS)— A logical relationship inwhich a successor activity cannot startuntil a predecessor activity has finished.

d. Explain standard operating procedures for wastemanagement, fire and safety, and disaster management for health carefacilities.

1) Waste management

a) Regulatory standards for waste managementoriginated with the World Health Organization (WHO).

b) The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) govern manyof the U.S. waste management requirements.

c) The waste management plan includes five items.

(1) Sorting of waste (where it is generated is best)

(2) Handling (as little as possible)

(3) Interim storage—short term (1 to 2 days) beforefinal disposal

(4) Final disposal

(a) Solid medical waste

(b) Liquid medical waste

(c) Contaminated sharps

(d) Waste anesthesia gases

(e) Radioactive materials

(5) Required record keeping

2) Fire and safety

a) Compliance with applicable fire and safetystandards

b) Fire evacuation and egress plans

c) Fire drills and alarm testing

3) Guidelines for disaster planning or emergencymanagement defined by the Department of Homeland Security

a) Sample disaster or emergency management plansand guidance for developing plans are available from many states.

(1) Research example plans from different states andfacilities.

b) Guidelines should address business continuityplanning as well as specific disaster conditions that might occur

c) Health care facilities also should address theirrole for providing assistance when disasters occur elsewhere in theircommunity.

d) Disaster plans should include a section onresponding to fires.

e) There are a number of key points in businesscontinuity planning.

(1) Carefully assess how your organization functionsand create a business flow chart if none exists.

(2) Identify operations critical to survival.

(3) Include emergency payroll, expedited financialdecision making, and accounting systems.

(4) Determine management succession.

(5) Identify your suppliers, resources, and otherbusiness partners.

(6) Develop additional professional relationships incase primary suppliers are unable to service needs.

(7) Create a contact list to use in emergencies andkeep it with emergency supplies at an off-site location.

(8) Plan what you will do if your building is notaccessible.

(9) Plan for payroll continuity.

(10)  Definecrisis management procedures and individual responsibilities in advance.

(11) Review and update the plan annually.

(12) Develop a plan for maintaining communication with employees.

(13) Keep important records like building plans, insurance policies,employee contact, and identification information in a safe off-site location.

(14) Ensure you have employees who are able to work.

f) Consider what supplies will be needed.

(1) Focus first on the basics of fresh water, food,clean air, and warmth.

(2) Create a plan for having essential medicalsupplies on hand or available. 

g) Create evacuation plans.

h) Develop policies and procedures about decidingwhether to stay or evacuate.

i) Ensure all employees are well trained in theprocedures.