Public Information Call Center: Answering the call in an emergency.

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