In this section:
Business Continuity
Texas Health’s comprehensive business continuity program integrates multi-level contingency planning from the unit to the system level. Our business continuity plans consider essential services and critical functions within our health system and study departmental interdependencies to provide operational areas with the supplies, equipment, technology and support staff needed to keep our doors open, protect our employees and care for our patients in times of need.
To mitigate risks, we assess vulnerabilities, develop prevention and response strategies, train teams to respond when issues arise, and continually learn from and refine our practices.
2023 Highlights
Texas Health:
- Enhanced its business continuity strategy by involving multidisciplinary leaders in creating comprehensive continuity plans that align with the system’s goal of delivering seamless and high-quality care. Integrating business continuity planning into newly organized operational areas fosters resilience and empowers leaders to identify and address vulnerabilities collaboratively.
Snapshot: Alternative Work Site Maintains Critical Functions
This endeavor demanded a highly orchestrated, cross-disciplinary approach to furnishing the site with the necessary capabilities for supporting critical functions. Working together, these teams developed a fully functional, walk-in-ready alternate work location poised for activation at a moment's notice. Since its inception, this site has been activated multiple times, proving its effectiveness in ensuring uninterrupted services. |
Texas Health’s Central Staffing Office and Patient Logistics Center are vital hubs that support the entire organization. Our Business Continuity Planning team collaborated with office leaders to establish an alternate work site to provide a seamless continuation of essential operations in the face of unforeseen events.Emergency Management
Texas Health’s Emergency Management program team prepares for and helps the system respond and recover from emergencies or disasters that threaten lives, property or the environment. The rigorous program aligns with the National Incident Management System framework, incorporates Federal Emergency Management Agency training and complies with industry requirements.
Our specialists develop, rigorously test and continually refine emergency response plans encompassing all facets of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. These plans proactively address a spectrum of potential hazards and threats and consider the impact on our ability to deliver essential services.
To bolster the resiliency of our emergency response systems, we incorporate lessons learned from previous incidents and share best practices with fellow members of the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council. Additionally, we conduct drills and participate in community exercises alongside area hospitals, emergency responders and relevant authorities. These activities help us continually improve our protocols for facilitating swift communication, decontamination, evacuation and patient tracking.
2023 Highlights
Texas Health:
- Applied lessons from previous severe weather events and created a winter weather policy and checklist to proactively address potential issues, which minimized weather-related disruptions.
- Began using a new patient tracking system that EMS can also use to provide vital information to hospitals before arrival.
- Updated its emergency response plan to align with The Joint Commission’s latest requirements.
Snapshot: Putting Emergency Preparedness into Practice Multiple hospital teams worked together to enable staff to mobilize and care for the injured swiftly. Within minutes, operating and ICU beds were prepared, elective surgeries were rescheduled, triage systems were established, a blood bank was activated and chaplains arrived to provide spiritual support. Despite the uncertainty and urgency, the medical staff's training provided a sense of calm amid the chaos and provided a rapid and coordinated response. |
After a natural gas explosion at a Fort Worth hotel injured 21 people in early January 2024, the medical and emergency response teams at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth showcased a remarkable display of preparedness and composure. IT Network Redundancy
Given how Texas Health must maintain continuous operations, keep information available and support efficient workflows, access to critical information technology systems and networks must always be available.
In a power outage or a network disruption, users can securely access critical systems from any location with internet service. We also maintain backup power supplies, position data centers strategically to avoid shutdowns and use alternative communications channels to provide a reliable information flow.
Cybersecurity
The healthcare industry grapples with continually evolving cyber threats, characterized by the increasing sophistication of phishing attacks, data theft and ransomware. At Texas Health, our robust cybersecurity program is comprehensive, addressing a wide range of measures to safeguard sensitive data, specifically emphasizing electronic protected health information (ePHI) and ensuring the reliability of technology operations. Our strategic approach integrates policy, personnel, processes, and technology to counter current and emerging cyber threats effectively.
In our commitment to fortifying our systems, we are implementing a multiyear Adaptive Risk program. This initiative incorporates zero-trust principles throughout our technology ecosystem and proactively positions our cybersecurity program to respond to evolving threats. The program is designed to seamlessly integrate cybersecurity capabilities within healthcare delivery operations while stabilizing costs.
Additionally, our Cyberthreat and Incident Response Team actively monitors our network, employs robust firewalls, utilizes advanced intrusion protection tools, and implements encryption measures to safeguard sensitive information. We also deploy fortifying defenses against emerging threats to Internet of Things (IoT)-connected medical devices. These proactive measures enable us to consistently maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our customers' health information and personal data.
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we conduct rigorous evaluations, including independent audits and engagements with specialists, to strengthen the resilience of our IT systems against cyber threats.
2023 Highlights
Texas Health:
- Continued integrating new security capabilities to address emerging and evolving cyber threats.
- Shielded the system against significant threats despite an uptick in breaches among vendors we engage with. We initiated a risk management project to elevate security standards across our vendor ecosystem.
- Complied with data privacy and security regulations.
Physical Security
Texas Health's Department of Public Safety is instrumental in safeguarding our personnel, campuses and systemwide assets. Our police officers and security staff undergo rigorous training. The program curriculum is tailored to meet the distinct challenges of healthcare settings, align with system requirements, and adhere to strict regulations and licensing standards set by the Texas state licensing boards for police and security.
Texas Health officers patrol campuses, enforce policies, assist visitors and staff, and intervene when threats arise. They also guide employees in handling hostile situations, conduct training, perform threat assessments, and install security assets.
Since the pandemic began, 98% of Texas hospitals reported that workplace violence has increased or stayed constant – including at Texas Health. In response, Texas Health has invested in cutting-edge security systems, hired additional police officers and contractors, strengthened our Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention Program, delivered active shooter training, and established protocols to improve the system’s resilience and readiness in the face of unforeseen events.
2023 Highlights
Texas Health:
- Continued delivering on its commitment to keep staff, patients and visitors safe by investing $30 million in security protections. We installed or upgraded weapon detection systems, security cameras and gates, duress alarms and door lockdown controls at various sites across the system. We also added additional police officers and security staff.
- Formed a Systems Threat Assessment Team tasked with evaluating potential threats. If a threat is deemed credible, we conduct thorough background and criminal checks and incorporate these findings (along with any history of previous aggression) into patient records. This alerts staff to potential concerns.
- Initiated a Best Practice Alert program that alerts staff systemwide of high-risk patients and precautionary actions to take.