Webinar | CMS Regulatory Requirements for Emergency Preparedness Programs

The COVID-19 pandemic and multiple natural and man-made disasters over the past few years have required hospitals to activate their emergency preparedness plans. In anticipation of patient injury due to such disasters, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revised the Emergency Preparedness Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals in 2020.

This webinar will cover CMS emergency preparedness regulations, including recent updates to include emerging infectious diseases. All covered facilities are required to have a written program to address the various natural and man-made emergencies that may impact delivery of care and patient safety. This program will cover the required elements of compliance with CMS regulations, including mandatory testing and training of all personnel.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer, Compliance Officer, Emergency Department Personnel, Joint Commission Coordinator, Medical Records, Quality Improvement personnel, Risk Manager, Legal Counsel.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:

• Identify the three key essentials for emergency preparedness.
• Recall the four core elements of an emergency preparedness program.
• Discuss key responsibilities of a facility when the emergency preparedness plan is activated.
• Describe when and to what extent an exemption from mandatory testing could occur.

SPEAKER:

Laura A. Dixon, RN, JD, RN, CPHRM
Director, Risk Management and Patient Safety
Colorado Region of Kaiser Permanente

Laura A. Dixon served as the director of risk management and patient safety for the Colorado Region of Kaiser Permanente. Prior to joining Kaiser, she served as the director, facility patient safety and risk management and  operations for COPIC from 2014 to 2020. In her role, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation and training to facilities, practitioners, and staff in multiple states.

Dixon has more than 20 years of clinical experience in acute care facilities, including critical care, coronary care, peri-operative services, and pain management. Prior to joining COPIC, she served as the director, Western region, patient safety and risk management for The Doctors Company in Napa, California. In this capacity, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation to the physicians and staff for the western United States As a registered nurse and attorney, Dixon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University, RECEP of Denver, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Drake University College of Law, Des Moines, Iowa, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Saint Luke’s School Professional Nursing, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.

This speaker has no real or perceived conflicts of interest that relate to this presentation.