It might seem odd to talk about the weather in regards to healthcare challenges and opportunities, but any medical administrator who works in a hurricane-prone state will immediately grasp the significance of it. Scientists agree that major weather events, including hurricanes and tornadoes, are getting more severe and occurring with greater frequency. Even hospitals located safely away from these areas have their own natural and man-derived disasters to deal with, from prolonged power grid failures to wildfires. Forward-thinking medical administrators need to ensure that their hospitals have a modern disaster preparedness plan in place. Take the opportunity to develop a comprehensive disaster plan, which considers these factors:
- The population shift that occurs with a major disaster
- The potential vulnerability of generators and critical systems
- The outpatients in the community who are reliant on life-saving equipment
- The impact of the disaster on employees, insurers, credit rating agencies and creditors
Another emerging challenge for healthcare administrators is the potential for false information to spread via social media, such as whether a hospital is being used as an emergency shelter. A plan that considers all possible outcomes will position the hospital to better serve its community when disaster strikes.
Medical administrators can expand their leadership capabilities with a doctoral degree from Grand Canyon University. We invite you to explore our Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in Health Care Administration degree program. Use the Request More Information button to find out if GCU is a good fit for you.