From Scenario to Reality: How Tabletop Exercises Transformed Emergency Management in Outpatient Dialysis Care

Emergency preparedness is a critical component of patient safety in outpatient dialysis settings, where patients rely on life-sustaining treatments multiple times each week. Disruptions caused by natural disasters, infrastructure failures, or other emergencies can threaten the continuity of dialysis care and place this vulnerable population at significant risk. Tabletop exercises have emerged as an effective strategy for strengthening emergency readiness by allowing health care teams to rehearse response procedures in a structured, low-risk environment. These scenario-based simulations promote active engagement, interdisciplinary communication, and real-time problem-solving, while helping organizations identify operational gaps in existing emergency protocols. This article describes the creation and implementation of a tabletop exercise for a rapidly escalating emergency - a hurricane with a changing path and rapid intensification.