Public Information Call Center:Public Information Call Center:Answering the call in an Answering the call in an
emergencyemergency
What we’ll coverWhat we’ll cover
Public Health responsibilities in a Public Health responsibilities in a disasterdisaster
Public messaging and informationPublic messaging and informationPurpose of a PICCPurpose of a PICCPICC system and operationsPICC system and operationsActivation scenarioActivation scenarioYour questionsYour questions
Public Health’s missionPublic Health’s mission
Achieve and sustain healthy people and Achieve and sustain healthy people and healthy communities throughout King healthy communities throughout King County by providing public health services County by providing public health services which promote health and prevent diseasewhich promote health and prevent disease ..
Seattle & King CountySeattle & King County• 1.8 million population1.8 million population
• 400,000 commuters daily400,000 commuters daily
• Many without health care provider/insuranceMany without health care provider/insurance
• Vulnerable populations; 70+ spoken languages, 10 requiring Vulnerable populations; 70+ spoken languages, 10 requiring translation in our clinicstranslation in our clinics
• 15% of King County , ages 21 – 64, have a disability15% of King County , ages 21 – 64, have a disability
• 19 hospitals, 7000+ medical professionals and 27 community 19 hospitals, 7000+ medical professionals and 27 community health centershealth centers
• 34 fire departments, 9 HAZMAT teams, 29 local law 34 fire departments, 9 HAZMAT teams, 29 local law enforcement agenciesenforcement agencies
• SeaTac Airport - 30 million passengers annually, more than SeaTac Airport - 30 million passengers annually, more than 1.1 million from international flights; 170 cruise ships with 1.1 million from international flights; 170 cruise ships with 700,000 disembarked in 2005700,000 disembarked in 2005
Public Health’s evolvingPublic Health’s evolvingrole in preparednessrole in preparedness Nearly all emergencies and disasters Nearly all emergencies and disasters
have public health consequences have public health consequences
9/11, the 2001 anthrax attacks, SARS, and 9/11, the 2001 anthrax attacks, SARS, and Katrina brought new focus to public Katrina brought new focus to public health and health care delivery system health and health care delivery system infrastructure, response capacity, and infrastructure, response capacity, and need for rapid communication of accurate need for rapid communication of accurate informationinformation
Significant vulnerabilities were revealed Significant vulnerabilities were revealed nationwidenationwide
Broad spectrum of activitiesBroad spectrum of activities
Disease and environmental surveillanceDisease and environmental surveillance Environmental health responseEnvironmental health response Disease outbreak and response including Disease outbreak and response including
mass prophylaxis and treatmentmass prophylaxis and treatment Isolation and quarantineIsolation and quarantine Coordination of health systems Coordination of health systems
resources and responseresources and response Mass fatality response Mass fatality response Health messaging and communicationsHealth messaging and communications Laboratory servicesLaboratory services
Real World “Tests”Real World “Tests” Smallpox vaccination responseSmallpox vaccination response Suspicious powder incidentsSuspicious powder incidents SARSSARS Pertussis and tuberculosis outbreaksPertussis and tuberculosis outbreaks Flu vaccine shortage Flu vaccine shortage Oil spillsOil spills Hurricane Katrina responseHurricane Katrina response Threats of West Nile virus, pandemic Threats of West Nile virus, pandemic
influenza, terrorism (Madrid and influenza, terrorism (Madrid and London bombings)London bombings)
Partners in preparednessPartners in preparedness Partnerships are the cornerstone of Public Partnerships are the cornerstone of Public
Health preparednessHealth preparedness
Crisis Clinic is part of a long list:Crisis Clinic is part of a long list:– Hospitals and health care providersHospitals and health care providers– EMS, fire, law enforcement, Emergency EMS, fire, law enforcement, Emergency
ManagementManagement– Elected officialsElected officials– Human services, schools, community based Human services, schools, community based
organizationsorganizations– Port of Seattle, CDC Quarantine StationPort of Seattle, CDC Quarantine Station– Courts, agricultural agencies, and businesses. Courts, agricultural agencies, and businesses.
Public messaging and Public messaging and informationinformation
Residents will be dependent on Residents will be dependent on health authorities for reliable health authorities for reliable informationinformation
Information needs to be provided Information needs to be provided rapidly and be accessible to rapidly and be accessible to everyoneeveryone
PICC will provide a feedback loopPICC will provide a feedback loop
The mission of risk The mission of risk communicationscommunications
Limit injury, suffering, and death Limit injury, suffering, and death Defend civil liberties Defend civil liberties Preserve economic stabilityPreserve economic stability Discourage stigmatization of specific Discourage stigmatization of specific
people or places as “contaminated or people or places as “contaminated or unhealthy”unhealthy”
Bolster individuals and communities Bolster individuals and communities to rebound from unpredictable and to rebound from unpredictable and traumatic eventstraumatic events
The public’s emergency The public’s emergency communication goalscommunication goals
Make decisions about their well-Make decisions about their well-beingbeing
Protect themselves and their loved Protect themselves and their loved onesones
Recover or preserve well-being and Recover or preserve well-being and normalcynormalcy
Be involved in emergency response Be involved in emergency response (for some people)(for some people)
How will the public receive How will the public receive informationinformation
Broadcast media -- TV, radioBroadcast media -- TV, radio InternetInternetPrint mediaPrint mediaPhone hotlinesPhone hotlinesLiteratureLiteratureTrusted community sourcesTrusted community sourcesFriends and neighborsFriends and neighbors
Example: SARS in TorontoExample: SARS in Toronto
2132 potential cases2132 potential cases23,103 requiring quarantine23,103 requiring quarantine225 met case definition225 met case definition44 deaths44 deaths316,615 calls to public health hotline316,615 calls to public health hotlineover 45,000 calls on a peak dayover 45,000 calls on a peak day
What is the PICC?What is the PICC?
Resource for the public to receive Resource for the public to receive information in a public health information in a public health emergencyemergency
Live operators and recorded Live operators and recorded informationinformation
Flexible model to accommodate Flexible model to accommodate demanddemand
Activating the PICC systemActivating the PICC system
Demand or anticipated need for Demand or anticipated need for public information public information
Event could be local, state or Event could be local, state or nationalnational
Communications office charged Communications office charged with mobilizing operationswith mobilizing operations
Coordinated with other department Coordinated with other department emergency response effortsemergency response efforts
Key elements of a PICCKey elements of a PICC
FacilitiesFacilities
StaffingStaffing
MessagingMessaging
Telecommunications supportTelecommunications support
Coordination with partnersCoordination with partners
Partners in call capacityPartners in call capacity
Crisis ClinicCrisis Clinic
Washington State Poison Control Washington State Poison Control
State Department of HealthState Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Centers for Disease Control and PreventionPrevention
Crisis Clinic’s roleCrisis Clinic’s role
Provide surge capacity for Public Provide surge capacity for Public Health call centerHealth call center
Support the public with general, Support the public with general, non-medical information in a health non-medical information in a health crisis eventcrisis event
Serve as a seamless extension of Serve as a seamless extension of Public Health’s call centerPublic Health’s call center
Activating Crisis Clinic supportActivating Crisis Clinic support
Central points of contactCentral points of contact
Communicating over the life of crisisCommunicating over the life of crisis
Early engagement, before support is Early engagement, before support is neededneeded
Protocol for activating Crisis Clinic linesProtocol for activating Crisis Clinic lines
Before activationBefore activation Crisis Clinic alerted as soon as health Crisis Clinic alerted as soon as health
emergency is declaredemergency is declared
Crisis Clinic confirms capacity to take Crisis Clinic confirms capacity to take surge callssurge calls
All Crisis Clinic staff provided support All Crisis Clinic staff provided support materials to answer public questionsmaterials to answer public questions
Specific date and time set for activationSpecific date and time set for activation
Once activated…Once activated…
Roll-over system – 6Roll-over system – 6thth caller in PICC caller in PICC queue goes to Crisis Clinicqueue goes to Crisis Clinic
Comment sheet to record and report Comment sheet to record and report feedbackfeedback
Hourly communication between Hourly communication between Crisis Clinic and Public HealthCrisis Clinic and Public Health
Crisis Clinic capacityCrisis Clinic capacity
10 dedicated operators; up to 25 10 dedicated operators; up to 25 maximummaximum
Peak capacity at 8 a.m – 6 p.m.Peak capacity at 8 a.m – 6 p.m.
Support for up to 4 days of Support for up to 4 days of sustained surge support sustained surge support
Current PICC system capacityCurrent PICC system capacity
Public Health = up to 3,250 calls (based on Public Health = up to 3,250 calls (based on 10 hour day)10 hour day)
Crisis Clinic = up to 3,250 callsCrisis Clinic = up to 3,250 calls
Poison Control Center = up to 1,500 callsPoison Control Center = up to 1,500 calls
State Department of Health = approx. 2000 State Department of Health = approx. 2000 per dayper day
Scenario: anthrax exposureScenario: anthrax exposure
Coordination and activationCoordination and activation
Main messages and support Main messages and support materials for operators materials for operators
Monitoring system status Monitoring system status
Ramping downRamping down
Next steps with the PICCNext steps with the PICC
Expanding facility capacity within Public Expanding facility capacity within Public Health/King County Health/King County
Recruiting and training internal staffRecruiting and training internal staff
Pursuing vendor options for additional Pursuing vendor options for additional surge supportsurge support
Urging national CDC capacityUrging national CDC capacity
Sharing the PICC modelSharing the PICC model
Plan will be shared with other health Plan will be shared with other health departments through NACCHO departments through NACCHO (National Association of City and (National Association of City and County Health Officers) County Health Officers)
Template for addressing similar Template for addressing similar challenges in other areaschallenges in other areas
More information on Public HealthMore information on Public Health
Over 8,000 pages of information on our Over 8,000 pages of information on our public web site at:public web site at:
http://www.metrokc.gov/health
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