Disaster preparedness of home health care agencies in San Diego County.
A questionnaire was sent to 53 home health care agencies in San Diego to assess their state of disaster readiness. Thirty agencies returned completed questionnaires. Of these, 90% have written disaster plans, but only 33% conduct regular drills to practice their written plans. A 24-h telephone number is available to patients at 96% of the agencies. One-fourth of the agencies serving ventilator-dependent patients do not make utility companies aware of their special needs. Of 11 hospital-sponsored agencies, 18% include backup agreements with other agencies, while 79% of non-hospital-sponsored agencies have planned such backup. The majority (92%) of "private-for-profit" agencies have backup arrangements, but only 38% of the public or nonprofit agencies have such arrangements. Additionally, 31% of the home health care agencies do not feel they would be able to meet the needs of their clients in the event of a disaster. Specific recommendations for such agencies in developing disaster plans, and exercising them, are made.
Phreaner
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D
UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla.
Jacoby
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I
Dreier
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S
McCoy
N
N
D002140:California; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018574:Home Care Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires