Emergency Preparedness

Kern Medical Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) management of necessary patient materials, the transfer of medications, medical records, medical equipment, as well as transportation arrangements and tracking patients to and from the alternative care site(s) is also a collaborative effort. Communications to Kern County EMS and other healthcare facilities to find potential adequate outside facilities may be obtained through the Kern County EMS radio system, Reddinet, cell phones, or RACES. The Incident Commander will work with Kern County EMS to determine where patients can be relocated. Determination of the site to be used in any given situation will be made at the time by the incident commanders of the hospital and Kern County EMS. Consideration will be given to clinical services required by the patients along with the nature of the emergency. Every effort will be made to provide the same quality of care at the alternate site chosen. Kern Medical collaborates with the KCHCC in the designation, establishment and support of alternate care sites. Kern Medical recognizes that it may need to rely on other health care facilities, especially those nearby, in responding to an incident to augment its capacity to meet patient care needs. Kern Medical will review existing formal and informal arrangements with health facilities to explore expanding their provisions to cover incident response conditions. The hospital will also seek to establish agreements with relevant facilities where no agreement currently exists. Kern Medical views these agreements as reciprocal and will also explore opportunities to provide support to these facilities if conditions allow. 2.4.3.1 Incident related arrangements with nearby hospitals include: 2.4.3.1.1 Kern County Mass Casualty Plan : Includes referral / diversion of patients to nearby hospitals, especially patients that require a higher level of care than Kern Medical can provide. The plan also references acceptance of diverted patients from hospitals to increase their capacity to care for seriously ill and injured. 2.4.3.1.2 Kern County Mass Fatality Plan : Includes references to

2.4.3 Mutual Aid

assistance rendered by Kern Medical in instances requiring support and staffing of surge facilities such as a temporary morgue, handling of deceased, and coordination with other healthcare facilities in management and transport of deceased.

2.4.3.2 Limitations

During an area-wide incident in which Kern County has opened its EOC , patient transfers and access to ambulances may need to be coordinated through the EOC-ESF8, overriding other agreements. The Mass

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