Storm and Emergency Preparation

When bad weather or other emergencies approach, your Partner practice and PCC EHR data may be the last thing on your mind. By taking a few simple precautions, you can protect your equipment as well as your patient database and accounts receivable records.

PCC’s Support Team recommends the following emergency preparation measures. If you have any questions or concerns, call us at 802-846-8177 or 800-722-7708. Follow these steps whenever there is a risk of power failure, electrical storm, or flooding in your region.

What if I'm in a hurry? And what does my PCC equipment look like?: If you need to shut down your server immediately, follow the instructions on the Shut Down Your Server article. You can see photos of the PCC equipment in your office on the PCC Hardware Overview article.

Print Out a Week’s Schedule

If there’s a risk you may be without Internet or a working computer system, PCC recommends you open the Report Library in PCC EHR and generate a report for upcoming appointments. You can customize your report to include patient contact information or any additional information you may need.

Protect the On-Premises Physical PCC Server at Your Practice

If you have a physical PCC server located at your practice, perform the following steps.

Perform a Backup

Run a System Image Backup of your server. Although a backup is run automatically every night, you can perform one manually at any time.

First, ask all users to log off the system. Next, type backups at a command prompt or choose “Backup the System” from the System Administrator window. From the list of options in the backups program, choose “System Image Backup.”

Contact PCC Support for a Remote Backup: Please contact PCC support as soon as you know you want to shutdown your PCC equipment, and at least four hours before you plan to shut your system down, so that we can initiate a remote backup. A remote backup may take several hours to complete and the system should only be used for lookup purposes during that time. Any changes you make once the remote backup is started could be lost if we need to restore your system. Once the remote backup is complete, you may shutdown your system.

Shut Down the Server

Shut your server(s) down and turn off the power. Follow the instructions on the Shut Down Your Server help article.

For most systems, simply run the Shutdown program in the System Administrator window, or log in as the root user and type shutdown -h now at a command prompt. Once you see the “Power Down” message on the console screen, your system may power down automatically. If not, press and hold the power button on the front of the server until the machine turns off.

Nightly Backups Will Not Occur While Server is Off: If your server is shut down overnight, normal nightly cleanup programs will not run. They will run the first night after the server is turned back on. Some complex financial aging reports, for example, may not be up-to-date after a night with no power.

Turn Off and Unplug the APC UPS

Your server and other PCC hardware are plugged into an APC UPS battery backup device in your office or server location. The device provides some protection against unexpected surges and brown-outs.

If you know ahead of time that your power may fail or office may flood, you should turn off the APC and unplug it from the wall for added protection.

Use Caution When Working with Your UPS: Your APC UPS device is a large battery. Even when it is unplugged, it has enough current to cause harm or death. Treat it as you would any live electrical outlet.

Turn Off and Unplug Other Equipment

Turn off your printers, PCs, and all other electrical equipment. Even if you use surge protectors around your office, unplugging your PCs and printers will better prevent electrical damage.

Unplug Internet, FAX, and Other Communication Devices

If possible, disconnect your ISP modem (cable, DSL, etc.) and FAX machine phone lines. A power surge on a phone or coaxial cable internet line can also damage your equipment. Contact your phone system provider for information about protecting that equipment.

Consider Covering or Moving the Server and Other Equipment

If there is a possibility of flooding, you should raise the server and other equipment off of the floor and use plastic tarps to prevent water damage. Do not wrap your server in a plastic tarp while it is still running.

Move to a Safe Location

As always, remember that your safety and the safety of your patients is far more important than your equipment. Do not return to your office to perform the above steps unless it is safe to do so.

Stay In Touch

Please call PCC Support (802-846-8177 or 800-722-7708) if you need assistance performing the above steps or if you have any questions. Remember that we are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week for emergency calls.