Local response key to pandemic preparedness

One community public health system has a triage plan to ensure that patients receive the correct level of care.

By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. June 12, 2006.

Washington -- In the event of a public health emergency, such as an outbreak of pandemic flu, physicians could find themselves caring for patients in convention centers and hotel ballrooms while also advising others on isolation and disinfection.

A plan developed by a local California health department includes these scenarios and is being praised as a model for others to follow.

The necessity of connecting local public health systems to medical communities and area businesses became apparent in the fall of 2001 and received added momentum after Hurricane Katrina struck. It also became obvious that in a widespread disaster, federal help was not assured.

In response to this new level of awareness, the National Assn. of County and City Health Officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designated seven local health departments as Advanced Practice Centers. The centers now have developed plans that address local aspects of pandemic preparedness.

These plans are intended to serve as models for other local health departments to save them the expense and effort of designing their own approaches from scratch.

The Santa Clara (Calif.) County Public Health Dept. is one such center. Its pandemic influenza plan calls for establishing levels of patient care that could spare county hospitals from being overwhelmed in a disease outbreak that would likely hit 25% to 30% of the population.

According to the blueprint, only the sickest of the sick would be sent to hospitals, explained Marty Fenstersheib, MD, MPH, the county's health officer, while speaking at a May 22 Capitol Hill briefing.