Maraon Monday: Going the Distance by Nancy Twombly

For Massachusetts residents, the third Monday in April is celebrated as Patriot's Day. This holiday commemorates the anniversary of the first battles of the Revolutionary War in the towns of Lexington and Concord. Because the Boston Marathon is run on Patriots' Day every year, to Bostonians, Patriot's Day is known as Marathon Monday.

This year, Marathon Monday will show the resilient and patriotic spirit of Bostonians - and all those other individuals around the globe who have adopted this city as their own. As runners from around the world gather to make the trek from Hopkinton to Boston, this year will be particularly poignant. For the scores of people impacted by the terrible events of last year, memories may still be too painful to participate as a runner or spectator. For others, the ability to run - or cheer on this years' field of runners will help in their healing process and return a sense of normalcy to one of the favorite days of a Massachusetts Spring.

For those in the healthcare field that were so instrumental to the physical and mental healing of those impacted during last years' race, there is continual gratitude for the many heroic efforts that occurred last Marathon Monday and over the course of the past year. The countless individuals and facilities involved including all the emergency personnel, first responders, doctors, nurses, hospitals and rehabilitation centers - all demonstrated their skill and expertise in delivering care during a terrible disaster situation. Due to the preparation and skill of these care delivery teams, and the many emergency drills conducted in advance of the race, those individuals impacted by the blasts were able to quickly get to trauma centers. As a result, lives were saved.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a sub-agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, has proposed a rule (document number 2013-30724) to establish national emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare- and Medicaid-participating providers. The intent of this rule is to ensure that hospitals nationwide are adequately prepared during disaster and emergency situations. The four proposed elements of this rule include risk assessment and planning, policies and procedures, communication plan, and training and testing.

According to the rule, CMS believes that many of the elements of the emergency preparedness plan need to be conducted at the level of an individual facility, however other elements may be addressed as effectively and efficiently at a broader organizational level, for example a system of preserving medical documentation. While the rule recently completed its comment period and the final rule has yet to be revealed, the long-term intent is to save lives in the event of future emergencies.

On this Patriot's Day, Bostonians and the nation as a whole can continue to express their thanks to the preparedness and ability of those in the healthcare field that helped the impacted individuals and the city to heal. As the runners start the race on Marathon Monday, the streets will be lined with spectators stretching the entire 26.2 miles - rooting them to the finish line. The amazing spirit of Boston will shine, and those watching can't help but be inspired by the runners' ability to go the distance.

LINK:	http://blogs.ironmountain.com/2014/industry/healthcare-information-man...
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