DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

MEDICAL CENTER

(LOCATION)

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (DATE)

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE NO. ( )

SUBJECT: Business Relocation

1.       Description of the Threat/Event. Business relocation becomes necessary when all, or a portion of the VA Medical Center and/or its supporting critical system infrastructure becomes damaged or rendered non-operational. Business relocation refers to the planning for and execution of plans and procedures to continue critical patient and non-patient functions at alterative sites, or by using alternative methods and procedures (such as contracting). A plan for business relocation is critical to providing continuity of care to the eligible patient population.

2.       Impact on Mission Critical Systems. N/A.

3.       Operating Units and Key Personnel with Responsibility to Manage this Threat/Event. All operating units that have critical functions to perform must be included within this SOP.

4.       Mitigation/Preparedness Activities of the Threat/Event.

a.       Hazard Reduction Strategies and Resource Issues. N/A.

b.       Preparedness Strategies and Resource Issues. Preparedness for business relocation can be approached in several ways depending upon availability of local internal and external resources to rapidly replicate the critical functions that have been damaged or otherwise rendered non-operational (See SOP on Patient Access to Services). The approaches used most likely will include one or a combination of the following:

·       Relocation of the damaged or non-operational function to another available building (or structure such as a tent or trailer), on or off-site.

·       Contracting for necessary health care delivery services.

·       Sharing of functions or services with other community health care delivery facilities.

·       Transfer of functions to another VA Medical Center or community health care delivery resource.

 All of the above are only to be considered as "temporary" approaches that would be in effect for no more than 60 days. Within that timeframe, either the Medical Center or systems would have to be restored to full operation; a decision rendered by higher VA authority to extend temporary operations until the primary Medical Center and systems can be restored; or a decision made by VA not to repair or replace the damaged Medical Center or support system. In the latter case, arrangements would have to be made for permanent relocation of all or a portion of business functions. (For example, as a result of the damage to the inpatient building of a VA Medical Center resulting from the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a decision was made by VA not to replace the building and continue to provide inpatient services at the Medical Center. The Medical Center’s mission was then changed to the provision of only outpatient services.)

5.       Response/Recovery from the Threat/Event.

a.       Hazard Control Strategies. N/A.

b.       Hazard Monitoring Strategies. N/A.

c.       Recovery Strategies. N/A.

6.       External Notification Procedures.

a.       Within VA. Implementation of plans and procedures to relocate functions and activities must be reported to the VISN. In addition, if relocation affects other VA medical facilities within or outside of the VISN, these facilities will require notification.

b.       Other Federal Agencies. As applicable. If there are other federal agencies and departments within the area that will be affected by the relocation of the local VA Medical Center’s functions, they will require notification. This is especially true if the Medical Center must suspend or otherwise make arrangements for the provision of services that are provided to these agencies or departments under local agreements. These must be carefully reviewed in terms of legal obligations and consequences if the local VA either cannot meet the agreement’s provisions, or cancels the agreement.

·       OSHA – Notify within eight (8) hours of one (1) employee fatality, or three (3) employee hospitalizations resulting from a single incident.

c.       Community Entities. As above. If there are community entities that are affected by the relocation, they must be included. It is critical that Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and local Public Information outlets (radio, TV, newspaper) are informed to provide information to the eligible VA population of both the availability and location of displaced services and functions.

7.       Specialized Staff Training. Staff of all functional activities needs to be aware of relocated functional locations and when these will be implemented.

8.       References and Further Assistance.

a.       VHA Emergency Management Guidebook.

b.       All Operating Units in the medical center should review their operating unit templates for response/recovery activities.

9.       Review Date.

(NAME)

Chief, (SERVICE NAME)