[CM] [WH] [E1] [C8] Implementing the CM Planning Methodology

Chapter 8

Woodlands Health

Introduction

Woodlands Health (WH), a member of the National Healthcare Group (NHG), is a critical healthcare provider for Singapore’s Northern population. Located on a 7.66-hectare campus with a 1,000-bed acute and community hospital, long-term care facilities, and specialised clinics, WH’s integrated model ensures a seamless continuum of care.

Given the complexity and scale of its operations—and the essential role it plays in public health—effective crisis management planning is vital to safeguard patient safety, staff well-being, and operational resilience.

The Crisis Management (CM) Planning Methodology for WH follows seven structured phases:

1. CM Project Management (PM)

Establish the governance, resources, and project roadmap for implementing crisis management.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Form a CM Steering Committee chaired by a senior executive (e.g., Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer) with representation from clinical, nursing, allied health, facilities, and communications teams.

This ensures that decision-making during crises integrates both medical priorities and operational logistics.

2. Crisis Scenario Risk Analysis and Review (CAR)

Identify and evaluate plausible crisis scenarios based on WH’s operational context and environment.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Include scenario planning for healthcare-specific crises such as mass casualty incidents, infectious disease outbreaks (e.g., pandemics), supply chain disruptions for critical medical supplies, and IT system failures affecting patient records and clinical workflows.

Consider the facility’s proximity to Malaysia and potential cross-border health risks.

3. Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Assess the potential operational, reputational, and clinical impacts of identified crises on WH’s essential services.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Map all critical healthcare services—including acute emergency care, intensive care, dialysis, and maternity services—and determine maximum tolerable downtimes, taking into account the unique dependencies between hospital services and long-term care facilities within the campus.

4. CM Strategy (BCS)

Define strategies to respond to and manage crises effectively.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Develop tiered response strategies for crises, ensuring that patient care is prioritised.

Strategies should include surge capacity plans for bed spaces, redeployment of staff across units, activation of isolation wards, and arrangements with partner hospitals in the NHG network for patient transfers.

5. CM Plan Development (PD)

Document procedures, communication protocols, and command structures for crisis response.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Develop a CM Plan with a clear Incident Command System (ICS) structure, aligned with ISO 22361 guidelines.

This plan should incorporate multi-channel crisis communication protocols for internal staff, patients, families, the Ministry of Health (MOH), and the public.

6. CM Testing and Exercising (TE)

Validate the CM Plan through drills, simulations, and exercises.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Conduct annual full-scale crisis simulation exercises involving emergency departments, long-term care units, and outpatient clinics.

Include coordination with external stakeholders such as SCDF, MOH, suppliers, and community partners to test inter-agency response effectiveness.

7. CM Program Management (PgM)

Sustain and improve the CM capability over time.

Woodlands Health requirement:

Establish a continuous improvement cycle with quarterly reviews of crisis plans, post-incident evaluations, and updated training for all staff. Maintain an ongoing CM education program integrated into WH’s mandatory training schedule.

For Woodlands Health, crisis management planning is not just a compliance requirement—it is an operational necessity to protect life, maintain service delivery, and uphold public confidence.

By systematically applying the seven-phase CM planning methodology, WH can strengthen its readiness for a broad spectrum of healthcare and non-healthcare crises, ensuring resilience in the face of uncertainty.

 

Operational Readiness: Crisis Management Implementation for Woodlands Health
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