Pandemic Influenza Plan - Questar III

Section 3: Healthcare Planning and Emergency Response
• Provide training guidelines.
• Maintain a state-based ESAR-VHP program to provide advanced
registration and credentialing of health professionals who would
augment a hospital or medical facility’s staff during a declared
emergency.
Pandemic Period
Healthcare Providers:
• Activate and deploy volunteers.
• If necessary, request additional volunteers from local OEM.
• Assign volunteers consistent with experience and training (including
“just-in-time” training).
• Communicate and update health desk of local OEM regarding health
care demands and the status of needs for additional health care
volunteers.
Local Health Departments:
• Activate and deploy volunteers to assist in public health efforts (e.g.,
public health home care visits, isolation or quarantine visits).
• If necessary, request additional volunteer resources from local OEM
State Health Department:
• Communicate with SEMO for status of health care volunteer needed.
• Activate and deploy volunteers as demand for volunteers at the local
level exceeds local resources in accordance with ICS.
L. Overarching Activities of the New York State Department of Health
Interpandemic and Pandemic Alert Periods
• Provide healthcare facilities/agencies the framework for planning.
• Work with provider organizations to provide technical and planning
assistance.
• Identify contacts (names/titles) at each health care facility/agency that
may have a role in responding to a pandemic. Multiple means of
communication (phone, beeper, cell phone, e-mail, etc.) for contacting
each person should be listed.
• Communicate information regarding pandemic influenza via the HPN.
• Conduct drills on the Health Emergency Reporting Data System
(HERDS) and Communications Directory content and enforce
regulations requiring completion and maintenance of Communications
Directory information by facilities/agencies.
February 7, 2006 3-47