Case Studies
Practicing Systemwide Response and Recovery through a Mass Casualty Incident Tabletop Exercise for a Regional Healthcare System
One of the largest healthcare systems in the United States retained Bryghtpath to conduct and evaluate a systemwide mass casualty tabletop exercise to test their strategies, capabilities, and plans at a system level.
The Opportunity
The healthcare system, concerned with rising geopolitical tensions and the threat of mass casualty events impacting its facilities and team, retained Bryghtpath to design, facilitate, and evaluate a systemwide mass casualty tabletop exercise with stakeholders across the system.
The organization was specifically interested in testing their coordination of a large-scale response e ort with incomplete information, resource allocation across the system, and the rapid processing of information and communications.
Approach and Results
Bryghtpath began this engagement by working with the organization to establish an internal planning team of subject matter experts from across the healthcare system and a steering committee of senior leaders to help guide and govern the effort.
Over eight weeks, we worked through weekly iteration sessions with the planning team to devise a realistic exercise scenario involving all aspects of the healthcare system, from hospitals to clinics and corporate functions.
The final exercise scenario was based on the 2015 terrorist attacks in and around Paris, France, updated for modern tactics and methods. The final exercise had four principal moves and more than forty injects that had to be triaged and acted upon by the exercise players.
The tabletop exercise lasted three hours and involved over fifty participants from across the system, including the CEO, COO, and General Counsel.
Once the exercise was concluded, we led a “hot wash” to gather lessons learned. A follow-up survey was used to capture additional lessons learned. We evaluated the exercise through a written after-action report, capturing our observations and recommendations for improvement across the program. Our team briefed the after-action findings and recommendations to the CEO & senior executives.
The organization plans two additional systemwide tabletop exercises in the coming months to further mature its system emergency management capabilities.
Key Activities
- Established an internal planning team of subject matter experts across the organization to assist with planning
- Established a steering committee of senior leaders to govern the effort
- 6 iteration sessions with the planning team to develop the scenario, specific exercise moves and injects, and a final session to review lessons learned
- Review of key learnings from previous system and local exercises
Outcomes
- Successful systemwide tabletop exercise with solid participation across the organization, including hospitals, clinics, and corporate functions
- After-Action Report that provides insights into how to mature system emergency management and continuity of operations planning further
- Improved collaboration and communication within the organization
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