Disaster Recovery Plan Template for Healthcare Providers

Prepared by Aztech Network Services

Section 1: Introduction

• Purpose of the Plan:
  The purpose of this Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is to establish procedures for restoring critical healthcare IT systems and data in the event of a disaster, outage, or security breach. The plan ensures minimal disruption to patient care while maintaining compliance with HIPAA regulations.
• Scope of the Plan:
  This plan covers the recovery of essential IT infrastructure, applications, and data, including EHR systems, patient communication platforms, billing systems, and diagnostic tools.
• Organization Information:
  • Name of Practice: _____________________
  • Address: _____________________
  • Contact Number: _____________________
  • Primary IT Contact: _____________________
  • Compliance Officer Contact: _____________________

Section 2: Risk Assessment

• Potential Risks (Pre-filled examples):
  • Cyberattacks (ransomware, phishing)
  • Hardware failure
  • Power outages
  • Natural disasters (floods, tornadoes, snowstorms)
  • Human error
• Instructions: Add any organization-specific risks below:

Section 3: Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

This section helps determine the criticality of systems and acceptable downtime or data loss.

Section 4: Recovery Objectives (RTO and RPO)

• Recovery Time Objective (RTO): Defines the maximum acceptable downtime for critical systems.
• Recovery Point Objective (RPO): Defines the maximum acceptable amount of data loss.

Section 5: Communication Plan

• Critical Contacts: Ensure the appropriate teams and external partners are informed promptly.

Section 6: Backup and Data Recovery Plan

• Backup Locations:
  1. On-Site Backup: ______________________
  2. Off-Site Backup: ______________________
  3. Cloud Backup Provider: ______________________
• Backup Frequency:
  1. EHR System: [Hourly]
  2. Patient Scheduling: [Daily]
  3. Billing Data: [Daily]
  4. Imaging Data: [Weekly]
• Recovery Steps:
  1. Confirm the nature of the outage or disaster.
  2. Restore the most recent backup from the appropriate location (on-site, off-site, or cloud).
  3. Validate data integrity and test functionality before resuming normal operations.
  4. Communicate recovery status to key stakeholders.

Section 7: Critical System Restoration Checklist

Priority Order of Restoration:

1. Step 1: Restore EHR system (highest priority)
2. Step 2: Restore patient scheduling system
3. Step 3: Reconnect diagnostic systems (e.g., imaging)
4. Step 4: Restore billing and financial systems
5. Step 5: Verify internal communications and secure email

Section 8: Testing and Maintenance Schedule

• Testing Frequency:
  • Mock Disaster Drill: [Bi-Annually]
  • Backup Restoration Test: [Quarterly]
  • Cybersecurity Incident Simulation: [Annually]
• Test Logs: Use this section to log the results of recovery plan tests and document any improvements.

Section 9: Incident Reporting and Lessons Learned

• Incident Log: Document key details of any disaster, recovery timeline, and lessons learned.

Section 10: Compliance Considerations

• Ensure that the recovery process follows HIPAA guidelines regarding data access, encryption, and reporting.
• If a breach occurs, follow breach notification protocols as outlined in the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule.

Section 11: Final Notes and Next Steps

• Keep this document updated with system changes, staff contact updates, and testing results.
• Schedule a regular review of the plan with key stakeholders.
• Contact Aztech Network Services for a free disaster recovery assessment or plan review.