The King County Healthcare System Pandemic Influenza Task Force held a meeting on March 10, 2005 in Seattle to discuss the local healthcare system response to an influenza pandemic. Members of the Task Force include local, state, and federal public health staff, along with representatives from King County hospitals and large outpatient healthcare organizations (including administrators, safety and emergency preparedness officers, infection control practitioners, nurses, and physicians), and professional societies active in King County.

The goals of the task force are to:

The objectives of this meeting were to:

The following topics, as they would relate to a public health emergency, such as an influenza pandemic, were explored:

• The legal authority of the Local Health Jurisdiction Health Officer
• Mass fatality management
• Decision making and coordination
• Communication
• Triage, including screening and surge capacity

Recommendations

The following are recommendations that were made by the Task Force as a result of this meeting:

In pandemic influenza planning, triage/screening refers to:

• identifying persons with potential influenza infection;
• separating these persons from others to prevent transmission of infection;
• identifying and treating non-influenza illnesses that do not require hospital care, and;
• referral of patients to a hospital or other appropriate venue for additional evaluation or treatment when necessary.

Options for community-based triage/screening include locations on-site at healthcare facilities, off-site but in close proximity to healthcare facilities, and other community locations. There was consensus that hospitals and outpatient facilities will need to have increased on-site triage/screening capacity regardless of the existence of potential new community-based facilities, as many patients will present to their usual source of medical care during an emergency.

Conclusion

Planning for the healthcare system response to a Public Health emergency, including pandemic influenza requires active engagement of all local healthcare facilities and many professional organizations. The Task Force will continue to meet to assess progress and promote healthcare system preparedness. All healthcare professionals are encouraged to review the “Planning Guidance for Health Care System.”(Annex 2) in the national Pandemic Influenza Response and Preparedness Plan, online at: www.hhs.gov/nvpo/pandemicplan.