Exercise aids pandemic flu plans
Three-week simulation brings health care reps face to face with need to form response plans, relationships
COLUMBIA BASIN — Following a three-week pandemic flu exercise that ended Thursday, Region 7 health care representatives say the experience has helped agencies better coordinate communication and develop response plans in case of a pandemic.
The exercise scenario began April 26 with an alert issued by the simulated Washington State Department of Health, notifying public health officials in Region 7 that the first confirmed simulated influenza virus strains leading to pandemic influenza had appeared in Everett.
In the scenario, human cases of pandemic influenza strains were expected to appear in Grant County in five to seven days.
Erin Stuber 5/23/06 After receiving the exercise participants After receiving the exercise, participants from Grant County Region 7, including school districts, media, industry/businesses, city and county officials, Grant County coroner, Red Cross and volunteer groups began meeting within their respective counties to form response plans.
Region 7 is made up of Grant, Okanagon, Kittitas, Chelan and Douglas counties.
The focus of the exercise was to improve communication among and within health care agencies and prepare for high patient volumes which are expected in the event of a pandemic.
"I think it lent itself to actual, cognitive thinking through things and developing plans rather than just reacting," said GCHD personal health services director Peggy Grigg of the exercise.
Participants were expected to respond as they would in a real pandemic by formulating an action plan, locating community triage centers and making contact with partnering organizations such as police, firefighters and school districts.
Scott Campbell, vice president of planning and development at Samaritan Hospital, took part in the scenario and thought the outcome was valuable to improving the hospital's response plans.
"It was good from the standpoint of bringing forward that we really do need to have better communication between various health care agencies as to how we would respond to that sort of situation," Campbell said.
Having adequate time to talk about forming stronger relationships and meeting face to face, were advantages of holding a three-week long exercise instead of a one or two day conference.
Participants were able to continue with their regular jobs, attending meetings as schedules allowed to be a part of the pandemic flu planning process.
In previous scenarios, Columbia Basin Hospital emergency preparedness coordinator Gail Michael felt simulated exercises had conflicted with work schedules, not allowing people to be as engaged in the activity.
"This time we had time to really make contacts," Michael said. "It's important to get memos of understanding in place so everybody can count on this is what we can expect you to do."
At Columbia Basin Hospital a volunteer data base is being established in the event of a pandemic, as the hospital knows it will not be able to provide services for all the people who would be coming to its doors seeking services.
Volunteers on that list would include dentists, licensed medical professionals, bus drivers and cooks.
"There is no way we have the number of staff to do all this," Michael said.
E-mail and fax capabilities may be convenient, but health officials are recommending those not be relied upon to establish well thought-out response plans.
"All these technological aids are very helpful but they cannot totally be relied on," Grigg said. "You have to have conversations and follow up."
Even if a pandemic does not hit any time in the near future, Grigg believes the three weeks spent on the pandemic flu exercise have been invaluable.
"We are learning what their agencies priorities are, what can they offer to the community and many times we may find ourselves drawing upon that in our normal work," Grigg said.