It started with a storm.
Not metaphorical — a real one.
Power down. Internet gone.
Phones dead.
Our billing team? Frozen.
No one could log in. Claims stopped.
Reimbursements delayed. Chaos.
Revenue cycle? More like revenue standstill.
And here's the truth: we had no emergency preparedness plan.
We thought “that won’t happen to us.”
Spoiler: it did.
💡 Why Most "Disaster Plans" Are Just Lip Service
Let’s be honest.
Most emergency preparedness plans live in dusty binders.
They’re all fluff and no guts.
“Activate response protocol.”
Cool. What does that even mean?
If your plan doesn’t tell Sally how to log into the electronic health record system from her kitchen table when the clinic’s flooded — it’s not a plan.
It’s a PowerPoint.
✅ 7 Real Tips That Actually Help
Here’s what we learned the hard way:
1. Treat your billers like remote warriors
Make sure every team member:
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Has a laptop that works at home
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Knows how to log in securely
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Can reach IT without playing phone tag
Give them dry runs. Not just "we should be good." Actually test it.
2. Cloud or bust
If your medical billing software lives on a local server… you're already in trouble.
Go cloud-based. Yesterday.
3. Double your vendor relationships
Your billing vendor can go down too.
Always have a Plan B.
Make friends with another firm — just in case.
4. Secure your access like Fort Knox
Yes, HIPAA. But also hackers.
Use:
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VPNs
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2FA
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Encrypted email
If you don’t understand those — ask your IT lead. Or DM me, I’ll translate.
5. Assign a "Disaster Captain"
One person owns the plan.
They know what to do when things hit the fan.
Everyone else looks to them.
No guessing. No panic.
6. Keep printed cheat sheets
Wi-Fi goes down → Google Docs become useless.
Have printed instructions for:
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System logins
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Who to call
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What to do
Stick 'em in a drawer. Low-tech saves high-stress.
7. Run a fake emergency twice a year
Sounds annoying.
It is.
But it works.
When the real thing happens, your team already knows what to do.
🙃 Our Failures? Plenty.
We didn't think through:
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How to submit claims when electronic health records were offline
-
What to do if our billing lead couldn’t get online
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How long our bank account could survive without reimbursements
We had no backups.
No manual workflows.
And zero idea how long recovery would take.
🧨 Hot Take: “Best Practices” are BS (Unless You Test Them)
You can copy a checklist off some consulting firm’s website.
You’ll feel responsible.
But that checklist won’t save you when half your revenue gets delayed.
Best practice?
Do your reps know how to keep billing going when the lights go out?
That’s the only metric that matters.
💬 A Real One From the Trenches
“After Hurricane Ida, our emergency department was down for 6 days. Because we prepped, our billing didn’t miss a beat. It was the one part of our clinic that kept working.”
— Clinic Admin, New Orleans
👨⚕️👩💻 Expert Advice That’s Worth Its Weight in Claims Paid
We asked a few seasoned pros what they actually do when disaster strikes. Here’s what they said:
🔒 1. Dr. Rachel Ng, Practice Owner – Houston, TX
“Don’t rely on one billing person knowing everything.
When our main biller got sick with COVID, the whole system bottlenecked. Now, we’ve got two backups trained and ready. It’s peace of mind — and cash flow protection.”
🌩️ 2. Omar Velasquez, Revenue Cycle Director – Multi-State Group
“Power backup isn’t optional. It’s survival.
We lost power for 3 days during an ice storm. Since then, every key billing staffer has a UPS (battery backup) and a mobile hotspot. We don’t go dark anymore.”
🧠 3. Lisa Tran, Healthcare IT Consultant
“Your biggest threat isn’t nature. It’s cyber.
Everyone preps for fires and floods — but ransomware will wreck your billing faster. Make sure your backups are off-site and tested monthly. Backups that don’t work aren’t backups.”
FAQ: Emergency Preparedness for Billing Operations
Q1: What’s the first step to take when creating an emergency preparedness plan for billing?
A: Start with identifying all the critical components of your billing process. This includes electronic health records, personnel, and communication channels. Then, ensure you have a clear chain of command and roles assigned to handle the situation during an emergency.
Q2: How do I ensure remote access to billing systems is secure during an emergency?
A: Use secure virtual private networks (VPNs), two-factor authentication (2FA), and encrypted communication tools to ensure only authorized staff can access your systems. Also, make sure remote devices are secure with firewalls and antivirus software.
Q3: What should we do if our main billing vendor goes offline?
A: Always have a backup plan. Partner with a secondary vendor and create a clear transition process for quickly moving billing operations to them. Test this process regularly to ensure it’s smooth when needed.
Q4: How often should we update our emergency preparedness plan?
A: Update your plan at least annually or after any significant changes to your operations. If your software or processes change, or if a new type of emergency (like a cyberattack) arises, adjust your plan accordingly.
Q5: What are the biggest mistakes organizations make when preparing for billing disruptions?
A: The biggest mistake is assuming it won't happen to you. Many organizations focus on physical emergencies (like floods or storms) and neglect to plan for digital disruptions (like cyberattacks). Both are equally critical and need attention in your emergency preparedness plan.
Q6: Can emergency recovery be automated?
A: Yes, but only if you’ve set it up in advance. Automation tools can back up your data, detect system failures, and even trigger failover systems. However, human oversight is essential, especially for troubleshooting and decision-making during complex disruptions.
Q7: What’s the best way to train staff on the emergency preparedness plan?
A: Conduct regular simulation drills where staff can practice handling billing disruptions. Make the training hands-on, and ensure everyone knows their role and how to use backup systems. The goal is to remove confusion and panic during a real emergency.
📚 References
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Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) – "Disaster Recovery Planning in the Revenue Cycle"
→ HFMA Website
A comprehensive overview of best practices in revenue cycle continuity and the importance of emergency preparedness for billing. -
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) – “Emergency Preparedness for Healthcare Facilities”
→ HHS ASPR
Official federal guidance on maintaining healthcare operations, including billing, during emergencies and public health crises. -
Journal of AHIMA – “Cybersecurity in the Age of Remote Work: Protecting Health Information”
→ AHIMA Journal
Insight into how remote work has changed the threat landscape for healthcare billing systems and what to do about it.
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