Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Standardized, Plain Language Emergency Codes

The Missouri Hospital Association issued the Standardized, Plain Language Emergency Codes Implementation Guide. The use of standardized codes will increase transparency, reduce patient errors using a simple and practical approach and promote the safety of patients, hospital employees and visitors. The standardized codes were developed by a workgroup of 30 hospitals and the recommendation of the MHA emergency preparedness advisory committee.

In 2012, MHA conducted a survey and found significant variation among hospitals, including nine different emergency codes that were used to notify staff of a hospital evacuation. Even in specific geographic regions and metropolitan areas, the variation was significant.

Although the initiative is voluntary, hospital leaders are encouraged to consider adoption of all standardized codes. MHA has provided an implementation guide to assist hospitals with this transition.