Be Prepared

If there's never been a time in your office where you've had to deal with a medical emergency, you are lucky. But what if that changes tomorrow? Will you be prepared? Whether you face a case of syncope, a Diabetic insulin reaction, anaphylaxis, seizures or cardiac arrest, your team should develop an emergency plan describing how to handle each situation. Here are some basic drills:

  1. List and have handy some important phone numbers so all personnel can get them quickly
  2. In the event of an emergency, each staff person should be assigned specific duties. No one should have to ask, "what should I do?"
  3. All emergency supplies should be kept in the same area. This is so no lost time occurs during a crisis.
  4. Certify yourself in CPR. All office staff should work towards certification and this should be encouraged and supported by the doctor.
  5. Frequent drill enactments of all types of medical office emergencies should be practiced. 

Have you ever had to deal with a medical emergency in your practice? Share what happened, how it was handled and what was the outcome of your teams actions. What kind of emergency protocol do you have put in place?