Mr. Michael Chihoski, Director of Engineering, OSF Hospital Group
Michael warned the audience of the dramatic need for safety professionals in the healthcare industry. Serving as a consultant for the Joint Commission, Michael understands the devastation that is possible when hospitals and towns are not prepared to handle disaster recovery.
As Director of Engineering for the OSF Healthcare System, Michael travels around the nation counseling hospitals, private companies, and even universities on constructing emergency plans before the disaster happens.
In the event of a chemical fire, or other similar disasters, our local and national hospitals need to have plans in place to manipulate surge capacities, decontamination capabilities, and to understand how to set up make-shift hospitals adequately.
Currently, the Joint Commission is preparing a new standard of care for release in 2008. The new standards will include a separate chapter on Emergency Management, which, as a result, will create new jobs across the country for safety professionals and healthcare workers trained in disaster preparedness. Qualified persons will manage the process of preparing for and responding to emergencies.