Disaster Response Policy

Effective Date: 2/15/08      
Next Review Date:  2/15/12

Number:  9200-217

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure administrative support for GME programs and residents in the event of a disaster or interruption of hospital operations related to patient care. A disaster as defined in this policy would make it impossible for residents to continue and/or complete their training at NYHQ.

This policy does not supersede provisions of the Hospital Disaster Policy; nor does this policy supersede the provisions of the GME Residency Closure Policy.

POLICY

In the event of a disaster, the Medical Center’s administration would consult with the DIO and GMEC to decide whether NYHQ could reconstitute the training environment within a reasonable time frame to permit residents to continue and/or complete their respective program requirements.

If the nature of the disaster is such that it does not permit the NYHQ to re-establish the appropriate training environment in a brief time interval then the GME office in conjunction with the GMEC would work with individual programs to transfer residents to other training programs.

The DIO would coordinate contact between the Medical Center and the ACGME and the program directors and their respective RRC to help identify programs willing to accept resident transfers.  As part of the transfer process NYHQ would agree to help accepting institutions apply for increases in resident FTE caps.

Transfers could be permanent or temporary depending on NYHQ’s success in reconstituting the training environment.

Until such time as a transfer is completed, residents would continue to receive full compensation and benefits provided by their Graduate Staff Agreements.

Programs are responsible for establishing procedures to protect the academic and personnel files of all residents from loss or destruction by disaster.   At a minimum this would include a plan for the storage of data in a separate geographic location away from the sponsoring institution.

Anthony Somogyi, M.D.

Director of Graduate Medical Education and DIO

Approved by GMEC 2/15/08