A downtime procedure is a documented fallback workflow for carrying out essential work when normal digital systems are unavailable, unreliable, or taken offline. In healthcare, it may explain how staff record care, access necessary information, communicate, and coordinate patient movement using approved alternatives.
Downtime procedures matter because a system outage can disrupt services even when there is no confirmed data breach. During a cyber incident, organizations may switch to these workflows while they investigate or restore systems. Effective plans identify roles, safe ways to handle records and communications, and steps for returning to normal operations. They should be tested and kept accessible without relying on the systems that may fail.