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Seattle & King County
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Seattle, WA 98104

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Clinical Planning Groups

Medical Director's Committee

Members: Medical directors and chief medical officers from hospitals and outpatient medical groups.

Chair: Nancy Auer, MD, Swedish Medical Center and Jeff Duchin, MD, Public Health

Objectives:

  1. Develop and/or review clinical care guidance related to health emergencies as necessary.
  2. Assure multi-disciplinary review from appropriate stakeholders at healthcare facilities on Coalition issues, guidelines and policies related to clinical practices.

Staff:  Jeff Duchin, MD, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-263-8171.

Palliative Care Workgroup

Members: Representatives from the Palliative Care Community

Chair: Dr. Kay Koelemay, Public Health – Seattle & King County

Objectives:

  1. Document existing palliative care and hospice care providers in King County and their current capacity.
  2. Identify potential gaps and weaknesses in the current palliative care system to respond to a public health disaster in King County.
  3. Develop recommendations for potential strategies to increase access to palliative care and hospice in King County in an influenza pandemic, addressing both organizational and regional surge capacity strategies.
  4. Develop a palliative care and hospice care coordination plan that is standardized for the healthcare response, including the following components:
    • A regional agreement among participating organizations
    • A communications and coordination protocol
    • An activation and deactivation plan that is coordinated with the Healthcare Coalition Regional Medical Resource Center
    • A diagram of regional linkages
    • A list of provider emergency contact information
  1. Develop a just-in-time palliative care training program for use in alternate care facilities and for lay caregivers in other settings.

Staff: Kay Koelemay, MD, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-263-8188.

Infectious Disease Workgroup

Members: Infectious disease specialists and representatives from the local Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

Chair: Jeff Duchin, Public Health

Objectives:

  1. Provides consultation to Coalition Medical Directors to inform policy and guideline development.
  2. Develops guidance on clinical and infection control issues when needed and in the absence of other federal or authoritative guidance (i.e., triage and clinical management, hospital stockpiling and use of antiviral drugs, antimicrobial drugs and vaccine.)
  3. Provides guidance on infection control and personal protective measures for communicable diseases.
  4. Delivers trianing and education for clinicians and disseminate guidelines and recommendations within their healthcare systems and practice settings.
  5. Participates in facility-specific pandemic planning efforts.
  6. Serves as spokespersons to the public and leaders in their facilities during communicable disease emergencies.

Staff:  Jeff Duchin, MD, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-263-8171.

Critical Care Workgroup

Members: Healthcare facility critical care unit directors and critical care specialists.

Chairs: Lewis Rubinson, MD and Mark Tonelli, MD

Objectives:

  1. Develop a set of hospital emergency mass critical care guidelines that could be implemented in the event that hospital critical care capacity is exceeded.
  2. Make recommendations to the Coalition related to critical care issues as needed during a health emergency and related to prioritization of critical care preparedness planning and capacity building.

Meetings: Approximately 2 per year and as needed during a health emergency.

Staff: Lewis Rubinson, MD, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-744-8044.

Pediatric Workgroup

Members: Healthcare professionals involved in the medical care of infants, children and adolescents in King County.

Acting Chair: Dr. Kathryn Koelemay

Objectives:

  1. Develop plans for appropriate and regionally coordinated medical care of children, including children with disabilities and special healthcare needs, in the event of a health emergency.
  2. Participate in Healthcare Coalition planning for continuity of safe childbirth services and care of the newborn, in the event of a regional health emergency.
  3. Identify educational materials and resources for disaster preparedness planning which are appropriate for healthcare providers who care for children and who provide guidance to their families.

Staff: Kay Koelemay, MD, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 206-263-8188.

Pharmaceutical Task Force

Members: Physicians and Pharmaceutical specialists

Chair: Dr. Andy Stergachis

Objectives: The Pharmacy Task Force for Alternate Care Facilities will assist the Healthcare Coalition to develop an essential drug list and establish guidance for interactions between ACFs and pharmacy wholesalers and the pharmacy community.

Staff: Andy Stergachis, MD, University of Washington, 206-616-9460.