6-1 Discussion: Common Gaps in Contingency Planning
Question
In this assignment, you will discuss common gaps in contingency planning and best practices to address these gaps. You will base your identification of common gaps and their recommendations on research.
For this discussion, address the following:
- Identify a common gap that occurs in contingency planning.
- Provide examples of issues that may arise in healthcare organizations due to the identified gap.
- Based on your research, provide a recommendation on best practices for addressing the gap.
In response to your peers, consider their initial posts. Do their recommendations adequately address the gaps? Explain. What additional recommendations can you provide? What additional issues can you see arising based on the gap?
To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric.
Answer
Common Gaps in Contingency Plans
A common gap in contingency planning includes relying on a single plan or resources in the event of a crisis (Preparis, 2019). Reliance on a sole strategy, technology vendor or support agency in the event of a crisis creates a vulnerability for the organization. If the organization is relying on a single strategy to address a crisis and the strategy is impeded or ineffective, operations will be halted until the need can be addressed. In the event patient care is restricted, the healthcare organization must coordinate with local and national relief organizations to address patient needs. Reliance on local organizations alone may not be sufficient to meet the needs of the organization. If the contingency plan dictates that employees be assigned remote work when unable to use physical locations, remote protocols and accounts should be established and routinely maintained.
Best Practice Recommendation
The best practice recommendation for addressing dependency on a single plan or strategy is redundancy (Preparis, 2019). Coordination with technology vendors to develop backup plans addressing system downtime or lack of access can reduce restoration wait times. Multiple contingency plans addressing a single situation creates options for the organization. Contingency plan redundancies can reduce the risk to the organization and increase preparedness to adverse events (Preparis, 2019).
Reference
Prepares. (2019 August 12). Common Gaps in Enterprise Business Continuity Plans. Preparis. https://www.preparis.com/article/common-gaps-enterprise-business-continuity-plans
