People often use the words backup and disaster recovery as if they meant the same thing. They do not. A backup is a copy of your data. Disaster recovery is the plan, people and technology that get your organization working again after something serious happens. You can have excellent backups and still be down for days if nobody knows how to bring systems back, or if there is nowhere to restore them.
For facilities in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, severe storms, tornadoes, ice, flooding and extended power loss are realistic scenarios. Planning for them is part of caring for residents.
Backup: Copies of files, databases and system settings, stored somewhere safe.
Recovery: The ability to restore those copies onto working equipment, in the right order, within a timeframe leadership can accept.
Continuity: How the facility keeps operating, especially clinical care, while systems are unavailable.
All three matter. Backups without a recovery plan are like a spare tire with no jack.
CMS emergency preparedness requirements for long-term care facilities call for a documented emergency plan, risk assessment, communication plan, policies and procedures, and training and testing. Information technology and the protection of medical records belong in that planning. The HIPAA Security Rule also requires a contingency plan that includes a data backup plan, a disaster recovery plan and an emergency mode operation plan.
These ideas overlap. A single coordinated plan is easier to maintain than several separate documents.
List what must work to care for residents and run the facility:
Electronic health record and medication administration
Nurse call and communication systems
Phones and internet
Door access and security cameras
Pharmacy and lab connections
Payroll, billing and census tools
Rank them by how quickly you need them back. Medication administration records usually outrank the accounting system.
For each critical system, decide:
How long can we be without it? This is the target for restoring service.
How much recent data can we lose? This determines how frequently you back up.
Be realistic and involve clinical leaders. These numbers drive technology choices and budget.
If the building is damaged or without power, where will systems run?
Cloud-hosted systems may continue to operate, but staff still need internet, power and devices.
Offsite replicas or cloud recovery can restore on-premises servers in a data center or cloud environment.
Sister facilities or alternate sites may host staff and equipment if evacuation is required.
Document how staff will reach systems from a different location.
Many outages are about power and internet, not servers. Review:
Battery backup units for network and server equipment, with enough runtime to shut down safely
Generator coverage for network closets, phones and key workstations, not just life-safety circuits
A secondary internet connection, ideally from a different provider or technology
Mobile hotspots as an emergency fallback
Cellular or radio options for staff communication
Test these. A generator that has never carried the network closet may surprise you.
Staff need to keep caring for residents when screens are dark. Prepare and store:
Printed or offline copies of resident census, allergies, medication lists and emergency contacts
Paper medication administration and treatment forms
Contact lists for physicians, pharmacy, families and vendors
Instructions for entering information after systems return
Update printouts regularly, or know how to generate them from an offline device.
A recovery plan should be a short, usable document, not a binder nobody opens. Include:
Contact list with after-hours numbers
Order of system restoration
Where backups and credentials are stored, in a place accessible even if the network is down
Who makes decisions and who communicates with staff and families
Vendor support contacts and contract details
Store a printed copy offsite or in a secure location away from the main building.
Run a tabletop exercise once or twice a year. Pick a scenario, such as a tornado damaging the server room, and walk through it with leaders. Record gaps and fix them. Test restores at least annually.
UnityCare IT helps healthcare organizations build practical disaster recovery plans, design resilient backups and connectivity, and run tabletop exercises. If your plan was written years ago or exists only in someone's head, we can help you update it before storm season tests it.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: 2524 N Broadway Ste 554 PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034