Pandemic Influenza Plan - Questar III

Section 3: Healthcare Planning and Emergency Response
Local Health Departments:
• Update providers regularly as the influenza pandemic unfolds.
• Provide or facilitate testing and investigation of pandemic influenza
cases.
• Maintain activities as described in Pandemic Alert Period.
State Health Department:
• Update LHDs and providers regularly as the influenza pandemic
unfolds.
B. Hospital Triage and Clinical Evaluation
Interpandemic and Pandemic Alert Periods
Hospitals:
• Ensure that all medical staff and staff trained in HEICS’ roles have a
current account on the Health Provider Network (HPN).
• Maintain normal triage capability and infection control practices.
• Develop a plan and confirm ability to enhance triage capacity as needed
by use of alternate areas of existing facilities and use of volunteer staff.
• Develop strategies for triage and admission that minimize the risk of
transmission to staff, patients and visitors (see Section 4: Infection
Control).
• Identify and train volunteers to work with LHD, Emergency Managers,
Citizen Corps and Medical Reserve Corps to enhance triage staff
capacity.
• Reinforce the use of Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette (see Section
4: Infection Control) as the first line of defense for the prevention of
transmission of respiratory infections.
• Monitor to assess need for enhanced triage capacity, including:
o The proportion of emergency room visits attributable to influenza,
o The proportion of influenza cases requiring hospitalization,
o The capacity of the hospital to accommodate influenza cases,
o The proportion of cases who normally live with high-risk
individuals or who have no support at home and cannot care for
themselves,
o Available/limited resources in the facility,
o Ambulance re-routing to other acute care setting due to full
emergency rooms may serve as another trigger for further
implementation of plans for non- traditional triage sites.
February 7, 2006 3-26