Your response is requested by Friday, April 18
HASC is forming a workgroup of hospital professionals in safety, security, facilities, clinical operations and emergency management to support the transition from color-coded emergency codes to plain language alerts—aligning with best practices endorsed by CMS, TJC, FEMA, CDC, CISA and HHS.
Why This Change Matters
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) defines plain language as clear, jargon-free communication that enhances coordination, especially in multi-agency or multi-jurisdictional incidents.
Key Benefits of Plain Language Alerts
- Interoperability – Enhances coordination across agencies and jurisdictions during large-scale emergencies.
- Clarity and Accuracy – Eliminates confusion caused by codes, abbreviations and jargon.
- Efficiency – Enables quicker response times, saving critical time and resources.
Background
More than 25 years ago, HASC’s Safety and Security Committee developed standardized color-coded emergency codes to improve response times and coordination across hospitals. However, as hospitals introduced additional codes, the benefits of standardization diminished.
Since 2000, many state hospital associations have transitioned to plain language emergency alerts to improve clarity and response effectiveness. HASC is now leading this effort in our region.
Join the Workgroup
HASC is assembling a team of hospital professionals to:
- Analyze emergency code variations and recommend best practices for adopting plain language alerts.
- Guide the project timeline and implementation strategies.
- Develop education, training and resources for hospitals.
- Support communication strategies to ensure a smooth transition.
📅 Meetings: Monthly, every second Tuesday (May 2025 – May 2026)
⏰ Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. (via Zoom)
Interested in Participating?
To join the workgroup, contact Teri Hollingsworth, vice president of HR and education services ([email protected]) by Friday, April 18.
Your expertise will help shape a safer, more effective emergency response system for hospitals statewide. We look forward to your participation!