Long-term care facilities should have written plans for how they will track residents during evacuations, according to an updated emergency preparedness checklist from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The agency issued the checklist in 2007 and updated it in a Survey & Certification memorandum issued Friday. It is a recommended tool for healthcare facilities to use as a means of preparing for emergencies.

The revision urges operators to “describe the process to be utilized to track the arrival of each resident at the destination” if an evacuation occurs. Facilities also should ensure that the proper parties are notified if a resident goes missing and should take steps so that each resident’s wristband or other ID remains intact.

Enhanced tracking of residents was among the long-term care provisions of a comprehensive emergency preparedness rule that CMS proposed in January.

Click here to access the updated checklist.