Pandemic Influenza Plan - Questar III

Section 3: Healthcare Planning and Emergency Response
• Review and post contact numbers (see above) in a readily
accessible location. Include both a primary and secondary
method of communication (e.g., phone, fax, e-mail) where
possible.
• Nursing homes in affected counties within NYS should restrict
visitation from outside vendors and visitors.
• Minimize/cancel group activities and outside group visits.
• Institute isolation in accordance with plan where necessary.
• Activate and deploy recruited volunteers
• Request additional volunteers from local OEM if necessary.
• Report emergency resource requests to the local OEM health
desk through HERDS.
Local Health Departments:
• Recommend activation and deployment of volunteers to local OEM to
assist facilities.
• Work with NYSDOH to regularly update providers as the
influenza pandemic unfolds.
• Assist local OEM by providing guidance on health related
decisions and prioritization of asset requests consistent with ICS.
• Coordinate activation of HERDS with NYSDOH.
State Health Department:
• Update LHDs and OEMs providers regularly through the HPN and other
communication routes as the influenza pandemic unfolds.
• Use HERDS to assist LHDs and local OEMs in identifying
nursing homes that are projecting shortages or have shortages of
food, supplies, pharmaceuticals, equipment and assists with
acquisitions as possible.
• Work with LHDs and Wadsworth Center to coordinate testing.
• Use HERDS to identify to LHD and local OEM nursing homes that
could accept additional ventilator residents/patients and identify needed
supplies, equipment and staff for these facilities.
• Assist local OEM by providing guidance on health related
decisions and prioritization of asset requests consistent with ICS.
• Work with nursing homes capable of surging capacity to provide
temporary emergency approval for increased capacity.
• Work with LHDs to investigate and report special pandemic situations.
• Issue guidance to providers on decisions made on altered standards of
care.
• Communicate with the appropriate level of SEMO to determine the
status of needed health care volunteers.
• Activate and deploy volunteers as demand for volunteers at the local
level exceeds local resources in accordance with ICS.
February 7, 2006 3-33