Organize and direct the Hospital Command Center (HCC). Give overall strategic direction for hospital incident management and support activities, including emergency
response and recovery. Authorize total facility evacuation if warranted.
Update Secondary Person Responsible:
Documents/Tools:
Incident Action Plan
Hospital emergency operations plan and other plans
Hospital organization chart
Hospital telephone directory
Radio/satellite phone
1. Assume role of Incident Commander and activate the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS).
2. Read this entire Job Action Sheet and put on position identification.
3. Notify your usual supervisor and the hospital CEO, or designee, of the incident, activation of HICS and your HICS assignment.
4. Initiate the Incident Briefing Form (HICS Form 201) and include the following information:
Nature of the problem (incident type, victim count, injury/illness type, etc.)
Safety of staff, patients and visitors
Risks to personnel and need for protective equipment
Risks to the facility
Need for decontamination
Estimated duration of incident
Need for modifying daily operations
HICS team required to manage the incident
Need to open up the HCC
Overall community response actions being taken
Status of local, county, and state Emergency Operations Centers (EOC)
5. Contact hospital operator and initiate hospitals emergency operations plan.
6. Determine need for and appropriately appoint Command Staff and Section Chiefs, or Branch/Unit/Team leaders and Medical/Technical Specialists as needed; distribute
corresponding Job Action Sheets and position identification. Assign or complete the Branch Assignment List (HICS Form 204), as appropriate.
7. Brief all appointed staff of the nature of the problem, immediate critical issues and initial plan of action. Designate time for next briefing.
8. Assign one of more clerical personnel from current staffing or make a request for staff to the Labor Pool and Credentialing Unit Leader, if activated, to function as the HCC recorder(s).
9. Distribute the Section Personnel Time Sheet (HICS Form 252) to Command Staff and Medical/Technical Specialist assigned to Command, and ensure time is recorded appropriately. Submit the Section Personnel Time Sheet to the Finance/Administration Sections Time Unit Leader at the completion of a shift or at the end of each operational
period.
10. Initiate the Incident Action Plan Safety Analysis (HICS Form 261) to document hazards and define mitigation.
11. Receive status reports from and develop an Incident Action Plan with Section Chiefs and Command Staff to determine appropriate response and recovery levels. During initial briefing/status reports, discover the following:
If applicable, receive initial facility damage survey report from Logistics Section Chief and evaluate the need for evacuation.
If applicable, obtain patient census and status from Planning Section Chief, and request a hospital-wide projection report for 4, 8, 12, 24 & 48 hours from time of
incident onset. Adjust projections as necessary.
Identify the operational period and HCC shift change.
If additional beds are needed, authorize a patient prioritization assessment for the purposes of designating appropriate early discharge.
Ensure that appropriate contact with outside agencies has been established and facility status and resource information provided through the Liaison Officer.
Seek information from Section Chiefs regarding current on-hand resources of medical equipment, supplies, medications, food, and water as indicated by the
incident.
Review security and facility surge capacity and capability plans as appropriate.
12. Document all key activities, actions, and decisions in an Operational Log (HICS Form 214) on a continual basis.
13. Document all communications (internal and external) on an Incident Message Form (HICS Form 213). Provide a copy of the Incident Message Form to the Documentation Unit.
Ongoing Duties:
1. Authorize resources as needed or requested by Command Staff.
2. Designate regular briefings with Command Staff/Section Chiefs to identify and plan for:
Update of current situation/response and status of other area hospitals, emergency management/local emergency operation centers, and public health officials and other community response agencies
Deploying a Liaison Officer to local EOC
Deploying a PIO to the local Joint Information Center
Critical facility and patient care issues
Hospital operational support issues
Risk communication and situation updates to staff
Implementation of hospital surge capacity and capability plans
Ensure patient tracking system established and linked with appropriate outside agencies and/or local EOC
Family Support Center operations
Public information, risk communication and education needs
Appropriate use and activation of safety practices and procedures
Enhanced staff protection measures as appropriate
Public information and education needs
Media relations and briefings
Staff and family support
Development, review, and/or revision of the Incident Action Plan, or elements of the Incident Action Plan
3. Oversee and approve revision of the Incident Action Plan developed by the Planning Section Chief. Ensure that the approved plan is communicated to all Command Staff and
Section Chiefs.
4. Communicate facility and incident status and the Incident Action Plan to CEO or designee, or to other executives and/or Board of Directors members on a need-to-know basis.
