emergency preparedness
Chronic dialysis facilities and patients are usually not included in state and local disaster plans and must therefore plan for their own survival. Because dialysis facilities provide life-sustaining treatment to patients with renal failure, it is imperative that they be as prepared as possible in the event of an emergency. Patients should likewise prepare themselves for emergency situations that may prevent them from getting to their dialysis treatment. Providers and patients can find helpful emergency planning and preparedness resources below.
Quality Insights’ Role in Emergency Preparedness
Quality Insights can assist individuals and providers/facilities in planning for an emergency or disaster by providing resources and direction to agencies that specialize in emergency planning and response. During emergencies, we will provide the following services:
- Track and make available the open and closed status of facilities in affected areas
- Assist patients and facilities in identifying dialysis facilities that can provide ESRD services.
- Assist family members and treating facilities in determining the dialysis location of displaced patients in order to exchange critical medical information
- Coordinate with providers and emergency personnel to ensure patient access to dialysis
Report the status of your facility's operations in the event of inclement weather or other interruption in normal hours.
FEMA Resources
- Comprehensive Planning Guides - Accomplished properly, planning provides a methodical way to engage the whole community in thinking through the lifecycle of a potential crisis, determining required capabilities and establishing a framework for roles and responsibilities.
- The National Emergency Management Basic Academy - The goal of the Basic Academy is to support the early careers of emergency managers through a training experience combining knowledge of all fundamental systems, concepts, and practices of cutting-edge emergency management. The Academy provides shared classrooms of adult learners and skillful instructors resulting in a solid foundation upon which to build further studies and sound decisions.
Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition
MARC is part of the National
Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Coalition. Visit the KCER website for the latest tools and resources to assist providers, federal, state, and local emergency responders, patients, and patients' families in establishing emergency preparedness and response plans.
Local Resources
Network 5 local resources by state
Virginia Dialysis Faciliites: Utilizing the Virginia Healthcare Alerting and Status System (VHASS)
Patient Hotlines
American Renal Associates (ARA): 1-978-232-4099 (also available by email at
disasterhotline@americanrenal.com)
DaVita Dialysis (or Total Renal Care): 1-800-400-8331
Dialysis Clinic Inc (DCI): 1-866-424-1990
Fresenius Medical Care (FMC or BMA): 1-800-626-1297
Independent Dialysis Foundation (IDF): 1-866-611-9028
US Renal Care: 1-866-671-8772
Veteran Disaster Relief Hotline: 1-800-507-4571
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
Patient & Provider Resources
What If...? Emergency Preparedness Campaign - Updated in 2020 by Network 5's Patient Advisory Committee, this campaign includes handouts to help patients of all modalities and professionals take the first steps to being better prepared for the event of an emergency.