Institutional Priority Risks for 2024

UTMB's thirteen institutional priority risks are based collectively on a macro-level risk assessment and hazard vulnerability analyses (HVAs) conducted by all campuses and clinics, as well as the major reasons for Incident Command Team activation over the past year, our assessment of predicted future risks (e.g. new fertilizer refinery in Texas city), and a check of recent after-action reviews. Regarding HVA's, the major categories of risks include: natural hazards, human-caused hazards, technological hazards, hazardous materials, and emerging infectious diseases.

The priority risks listed below were presented to the Institutional Safety and Security Executive Committee and approved for calendar year 2024 (Chemical and Environmental Priority Risks are in the right column):

1. WEATHER -  e.g. hurricane, flood, extreme wind

2. CYBER THREATS - technology & operational effects

3. DISEASE OUTBREAKS - e.g., Covid-19, new infectious diseases

4. SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS / INFLATION

5. INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL INCIDENTS- w/ effects on industrial plant, pipeline, road & rail; fence line community, and UTMB facilities

6. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE - e.g. active shooter

7. MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT - e.g. patient influx

8. LONG TERM WATER SECURITY

9. LONG TERM POWER COSTS / AVAILABILITY

10. UTILITIES OUTAGES

11. CRITICAL STAFFING SHORTAGE

12. FIRE

Note: UTMB Emergency Management operates on the calendar year (instead of the fiscal year) so that Hurricane season is not split in half.

Note: "SARS outbreak/pandemic" was included in the priority risk assessment (presented to the ISS) in September 2019, right BEFORE the Covid-19 pandemic began, meaning we had already begun preparing for a similar disease outbreak.

UTMB shares its risk information with community partners, local authorities, healthcare coalitions, et cetera. This is a collaborative process. UTMB also reviews and provides feedback on the risk assessments of jurisdictions or other agencies. Our goal is 'Whole Community Preparedness'. 

Additional Resources

Risk Analysis Standard - ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ASME Innovative Technologies Institute, LLC


HVA Example (GMC)

HVA - Galveston Main Campus
Excel Version: ADC, CLC, GMC, LCC

UTMB Risk Profile Graphic

Risk Profile Graphic