The Harvard School of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Exercise Program, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Emergency Preparedness Bureau, has released the “Essential Functions and Considerations for Hospital Recovery” document. This resource can help hospitals prepare to manage their recovery from emergencies of all types. Guidance within the document draws from an extensive literature review, review of many hospital plans, multiple interviews with hospitals that have had to recover from major incidents, and from lessons learned during the execution and evaluation of the 2013 MDPH statewide hospital recovery workshop series.

While this resource was written for hospitals, it complements the ongoing efforts of federal, state, and local agencies committed to enhancing healthcare recovery capabilities. Local health departments can review the this document to help inform their preparedness planning, and to understand the challenges that affect the recovery efforts of hospitals. Review the document.