If you decide to reopen your practice and have a disaster recovery or business continuity plan in place, now is the time to start following the steps you outlined. If you did not have a plan in place, you will face the even more challenging task of obtaining the information you need, piecing together what you can from various sources, and planning as you go.
Identify resources. Be aware of resources that may be available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). the American Red Cross, and other local, state and national government agencies. Find out what assistance is available from local media, professional associations and community groups, including information about temporary office space, jobs, communication channels to reach those who have been displaced and other disaster-related resources. See the end of this article for additional resources available to small businesses.
Set priorities. Identify your critical business functions, the aspects of your practice that must be immediately operational. Business functions are critical if they are related to legal or ethical obligations, tied to your cash flow, time sensitive or central to your ability to maintain a presence in the community. Create a plan to quickly resume these functions, using your consultants as needed. Critical business functions for practicing psychologists might include: crisis management for clients; communication with clients, staff and referral sources; service provision; payroll; billing and accounts receivable; debts and other financial obligations; and community outreach and assistance with disaster mental health needs.
Obtain usable work space. After assessing the damage to your office, take any steps necessary to prevent further damage. For example, shut off plumbing that is leaking, board up broken windows or holes in the roof, turn off electricity if wires are down and remove salvageable items that could become damaged if left on site. Contact your local utility companies about the restoration of electricity, gas and water. If your office is no longer secure or will require extensive repairs before being usable again, move client records and other confidential information to a secure location and collect any documents or records you will need to access in the interim. If you rent your office space, review your lease carefully to determine your responsibilities with regard to repairs and how you can terminate the lease, if necessary. Local government or other community groups may have a list of contractors available for repairs and industrial clean up. Be sure that any repairs comply with local building codes. If damage is severe, you may need to consider a temporary office location while you rebuild and make repairs. Peers, colleagues, referral sources, schools and organizations you are connected with may be able to provide you with temporary office space while you rebuild your practice. Replace, borrow or rent key pieces of equipment that you need in order to resume your key business functions, such as a computer, a telephone and test materials.
Reestablish lines of communication. Communicating with clients, employees and other key contacts may be difficult, especially if phones are down, your office is not accessible and people are displaced. Leave instructions on your voicemail or with your answering service for contacting you or accessing needed services and have the telephone company forward your office phone to a different number where you can be reached. If you use an answering machine in your office and it is not accessible or functioning, have the phone company add voicemail to your account, so you can access and manage your messages remotely. If phone lines are down, you may still be able to reach people by e-mail or cell phone. Other methods of communication following a crisis may include posting a message on the homepage of your website, placing a notice with local media sources or leaving messages on community bulletin boards. Be sure to forward your mail to a post office box or a temporary location, if necessary. Make a list of the people and entities you need to contact and begin to reach out to assess their status, determine their needs and discuss a plan for moving forward.
Obtain copies of vital documents and records. In the aftermath of disaster, you may find that your records are destroyed, missing, or otherwise inaccessible. Identify the records that are vital to the functioning of your practice. What documentation is required by law, necessary for your critical business functions or needed in order to rebuild your practice? Vital documents may include client records, employee files, payroll data, your business plan, property title or lease, insurance records and contracts you hold with payers. If you backed up your practice’s electronic protected health information to be in compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule, access the backup files that you stored offsite. If you haven’t backed up your data, you will need to pull this information together from multiple sources, such as insurance companies, referral sources and other providers you have sent reports to. When dealing with documentation such as client records, be mindful or your legal and ethical responsibilities with regard to privacy and confidentiality. You can request copies of financial records from your banks, creditors, payers and billing service, as well as from your financial advisors and the IRS. In many cases, these documents may be available online through your financial institutions’ websites. In large-scale disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the IRS, mortgage companies, creditors and membership organizations may offer relief to those affected. Ask about options such as extending payment deadlines, reducing payments, waving penalties and establishing flexible payment options.
Move forward and maintain flexibility. Rebuilding after a major disaster is a slow process in an environment that is often forever changed. Some psychologists will close their practices, some will move to new locations and others will remain and attempt to rebuild their practices. Those who are successful will carefully assess the new landscape, make well-thought-out business decisions, offer services that meet emerging needs and contribute to the healing and growth of the community. Success will be based, in part, on the ability and willingness to adapt to the new environment, identify opportunities and overcome challenges. The restoration of critical business functions is just the beginning. As the rebuilding continues, think about how you will manage business disruptions that may occur in the future. Establish or revise your disaster recovery plan, back up vital documents, obtain adequate insurance and protect your practice in the future.
