Wivenhoe, CHCER Develop Emergency Management Program

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Starting Friday, Wivenhoe Group, headquartered in Millstone Township, N.J., and Nashville-based Center for Healthcare Emergency Readiness (CHCER) will team up to develop an emergency readiness program for the health care industry.

The Healthcare Industry Emergency Readiness and Management Program will draw from the expertise of both firms to provide a variety of safety, security, emergency-management and risk-reduction services. The integrated approach to safety and security will begin at the design, construction and engineering level, continuing into daily safety and security operations management.

According to a press statement, the program stems from a health care environment that’s becoming increasingly dangerous every day with more frequent and robust natural disasters, more virulent and resistant biological agents and growing man-made threats such as active shooters, workplace violence and terrorist attacks.

“Using the Wivenhoe team approach, our unique network of safety, security, engineering and health care experts allows us to assist clients with all hazards vulnerability assessments and programs that can go as deep as required to achieve the client objectives,” said Wivenhoe CEO Colette K. McCann in a statement. “Whether it is a focused engagement to prevent loss, prepare for an active shooter event, protect against infant abduction or a larger program to design and implement large-scale hurricane evacuation and continuity of business plans, we have an array of experts who can cover practically every aspect of the plan and implementation that will conform to new regulations in the health care industry.”

The private/public health care sector, Wivenhoe noted, has been slow to respond to the changing risks for the industry. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina killed 971 people; 34 percent were found in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Safety and security regulations are also impacting how the industry should be responding to emergencies. Mandatory regulations such as CMS-3178-P are going to make accreditation and the Conditions of Participation (CoP) much more challenging for those who do not increase their level of emergency readiness, the firms warned.

“We are very excited to work with Wivenhoe to help clients reduce risk,” said Dr. Jim Blair, CEO of CHCER, LLC, in a statement. “Wivenhoe’s expertise in design, engineering and legal issues really help us round out a 360-degree view of all hazards vulnerability and cyber security for our clients. You cannot treat and cure patients if you cannot protect them.”