Practice and review your plan

Once the practice’s emergency response plan has been developed and documented, it is recommended that the emergency management coordinator provide the practice team with some basic education and training regarding the plan. This includes making sure the practice staff are aware of the plan and know how and where to access it.

Testing the emergency response plan, or at least components of the plan, is an important part of the emergency planning process. Exercising the plan will help the emergency management coordinator assess the plan’s functionality and reinforce the appropriate actions to take in an emergency. It is recommended that emergency response plans are tested annually.

Information sourced in the preliminary research will change regularly, so it is crucial that the information in the plan remain current and up to date.

Emergency response plans should be fluid and revised when needed to reflect changes in emergency management processes and incorporate learning from past events.