AZCHER-South Hcccommunication Plan

AZCHER-South HCCCommunication Plan

AZCHER South

Health Care Coalition

Communication Plan

Developed by:

Communication Committee

2015

Approved by:

Next Review Date:

Purpose……………………………………………………………….3

Assumptions………………………………………………………….3

Introduction…………………………………………………………..4

Plan Components…………………………………………………….4

Plan Activation-Criteria…………………………………………………….4

Priorities for Messaging…………………………………………………….5

Message Types and Content………………………………………………..5

Emergency Notification Sequence………………………………………….6

Emergency Communication Systems/Methods…………………………….6

Coalition Partner Training………………………………………………….6

Plan Testing and Evaluation………………………………………………..7

Plan Review and Maintenance……………………………………………..7

External Communications…………………………………………..7

Appendices………………………………………………………….8

Appendix A……………………………………………………………………..9

Appendix B…………………………………………………………………….10

Appendix C……………………………………………………………………..11

Appendix D…………………………………………………………………….12

Purpose

The AZCHER South HCC Communication Plan has been developed to provide regional coalition healthcare partners with an external communications methodology to (1) message within the coalition situational awareness information from their facility or organization to some or all of the other organizations/facilities within the coalition as an information item or (2) of incident or event unfolding which could or has already happened and which may have the potential for impacting the operations of other organizations/facilities in the region (3) or in the event of activation of our regional Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). At which time this communication process can assist with gathering and relaying information about resources and asset availability from those who wish to participate with the MOU.

It also is the intent of this plan to outline as many diverse and redundant communications methods as operable within the region and in addition provided coalition partners with standard operating procedures which will allow coalition members to quickly receive and provide information using the available communication methods or devices.

AZCHER-South HCCCommunicationPlan (hereafter referenced as the “Communication Plan”) is intended to providea framework not a mandate for those who wish to follow it for communicating within the coalition therefore participation is voluntary for members of the coalition. The communication process and methods here outlined do not replace or supersede established jurisdictional communication procedures upon an official declaration of “disaster” status of any incident or event.

Assumptions

This plan is based on several assumptionsgathered from post-disaster information, healthcare essential functions during a disaster and capacity building needs of healthcare organization in the South region:

Healthcare incidents may originate at one location but may impact other healthcare entities within a region. HCC members acknowledge the need to communicate situation information about incident occurring at one facility if it has the potential for impacting others in the coalition.
During a disaster,rendering medical care is an essential function of healthcare entities thereforemedical surge is of primary concern. HCC partners acknowledge that having a communication system in place is vital in creating surge capacity by everyone participating in their pre-determined role, for any one or multiple healthcare facilities or organizations involved in a disaster.
The need for medical resources utilized by healthcare entities changeswithin the timespan of a disaster. HCC partners acknowledge thatcommunication with the intent of gathering information on assets and resources for potential redistribution by activating the regional MOU is a vital part of this plan.

Introduction

The Communication Plandefines the communication process within AZCHER-South- HealthCare Coalition. This process is made up of several components which will be described the Plan Components sections.

Plan Components

Plan Activation-Criteria

Priorities for Messaging

Message Types and Content

Emergency Notification Sequence

Emergency Communication System-AZHAN

Coalition Partner Training

Plan Testing and Evaluation

Plan Review and Maintenance

External Communications

1.Plan Activation-Criteria

The Communication Plan may be triggered when an incident occurs that has or will have substantial impact to one or more healthcare organizations in the regionalHCC. Substantial impact is defined as any activity that overwhelms or has the potential to overwhelm the daily operational capacity of any healthcare organization. The following is a list of examples but not intended to be all inclusive in nature.

Impact on patient care areas, need for more space, not enough staff, not enough supplies, equipment.
Changes in staffing patterns, longer shifts, additional or different duties/roles
Changes in scheduling practices deferring elective surgeries and outpatient procedures or closure of non-essential service lines.
Running low on supplies or out of certain supplies-conservation plan in place for existing supplies.
A health care facility is damaged, must transfer existing patient or cannot accept new patients.
Utilities failure with or without generator back-up, water supply failure with or without potable water backup supply
A health care facility is experiencing a large influx of patients.
Out of state request for specialty beds such as pediatrics, burn etc.
There is an escalating pandemic.

2.Priorities for Messaging

Information sharing is the key function of any communication plan or strategy. For the South Region we found it valuable to assist our partners with a list of information worth sharing, again this list is includes but is not limited to the items below.

Situational awareness-applies to all healthcare organizations and facilities- this is information about an incident in which you answer the questions: What is happening? Why is it happening? What will happen next? What can be done about it? Then relay this information to your HCC partners. Event ipdates from partners or Public Health.
Resource status (including transportation, drivers, and specialty services)-this is important if you are reaching out requesting resources or sending out information about your available resources.
Bed availability-this applies to facilities with inpatients (may be particular populations, such as pediatrics), and helpful to other inpatient facilities to calculate where patients can be transferred or admitted. This information is helpful to ambulatory care or other facilities as they are aware of what in patient facility status.
Epidemiological projections-this information is helpful in planning for point-in time and longitudinal capacity, in other words what is the nature of the disease outbreak and how long will it last and what will you need to deal with it now and in the future.
Casualty estimates knowing this information can assist with fatality management planning.

3.Message Types and Content

In order to avoid confusion it was determined that messages would not be given any type of classification as to urgency of the message but rather to consider the content of the message as that of (1) information sharing (any time), (2) situational awareness (incident-related information) and (3) activation of MOU requests (also incident-related). The message types are specific to intra-regional communicationsbetween coalition partners, and appliesin a non-declared disaster or emergency.

Information sharing can occur at any time a coalition partner has information to share with other coalition members which may be of interest or a “head up” to a situation which may evolve into something more impactful. Situational awareness messages are reserved for in instances where an incident has occurred, it may involve one or multiple coalition members and information is being shared specific to incident details. Messages requesting MOU activation are expected to follow situational awareness messages, unless the disaster is sudden and catastrophic with MOU activation immediate..

4.Emergency Notification Sequence

The sequence for activating the Communications Plan, starts with any partner in the AZCHER South Healthcare Coalition contacting a coalition designated Arizona Health Alert Network (AZHAN) administrator requesting a message be sent out on their behalf. The call down procedure will follow established organizational sector structure with sector member calling one of 3 sector administrator to initiate message. If none of sector administrators is available member can then contact any other sector leader to request message be sent. If all local avenues fail the member may contact ADHS for assistance. (See Appendix A for Emergency Notification Sequence Standing Operating Procedure)

5.Emergency Notification System AZHAN

AZCHER South Region HCC has determined to use AZHAN as its primary method for sending out messages to it coalition partners, however it is plausible that other methods will be used as well during the course of an incident. Listed below are some of the other most probable methods of communication between coalition members.

Telephone (landline),
Telephone (cellular),
Fax
E-mail

6.AZHAN Adminsitrators

Administrators for AZHAN in the AZCHER South Health Care Coalition have been identified and set up for training ot be able to send messages on behalf of their agency or groups listed below. The administrators are individuals in leadership role in each of the following sectors (refer to Appendix D for contact information).

Communications Committee members
Sector chairs and co chairs

1.Hospital/Inpatient Care

2.Long Term Care

3.Ambulatory Care

4.Behavioral Health

5.Correctional Health

6.Public Health

7.Community Resources

8.Hospice and Home Care

9.Transportation

Committee chairs and co chairs

1.Training and Exercise

7.Coalition Partner Training

HCCmembers who are assigned roles in the Communication Plan will be fully trainedon this Communications Plan. They will also be trained on sending out alerts and messages using AZHAN. The instruction will be accomplished through trainings with HCC already trained members or ADHS-Information Services Group personnelin person or through webinar sessions.

Communication Plan Training
QRG Administration
Quick reference guide for messaging
QRG – Messaging
QRG – Message formatting
QRG - QRGS

AZHAN Training

Appendix B: System Registration,Receiving Message and Responding to a Message Standard Operating Procedure
Appendix C:Creating and Sending a Message (Alert) StandingOperating Procedure
Appendix D:HCC Contact List

8.Plan Testing and Evaluation

The elements of the Communication Plan will be exercised periodically. Systems for alerting and messaging such as AZHAN will be exercised at least twice a year through a regional drill. Additional drills by sectors may take place at the discretion of the sector leadership. The chair of the Communications Committee is responsibility for planning and documenting the biannual drills as well as, reporting results to the HCC. The Communication Committee is responsible for improvement activities which resultfrom drill activity.

8. Plan Review and Maintenance

The Communication Plan will be reviewed annually by the AZCHER South HCC’s Communication Committee for updates and revision as required. The plan will then be forwarded to the HCC’s Executive Policy Board for approval and presented to the membership by posting to the HCC website.

External Communications

This communication plan does not intend to replace or substitute for any established facility or organization crisis or emergency communications plan. Nor does it supersede or supplant an existing governmental, agency, or jurisdictional emergency communications plan established for use during a declared disaster.

Following our communications protocol as healthcare entities any messagingto ADHS or other County Public Health Departments should be directed through County Public Health Departments to maintain the proper chain of command for communications.

APPENDICES

Appendix A - AzHAN Coalition Partner to Partner Message Flowchart

Appendix B - Standard Operating Procedure:AzHAN-SOP-001

Appendix C - Standard Operating Procedure: AzHAN-SOP-002

Appendix D - AZCHER SOUTH REGION HCC CONTACT INFORMATION

Communication training

Appendix E- QRG Administration

Appendix F - Quick reference guide for messaging

Appendix G - Messaging

Appendix H - Message formatting

Appendix I - Message Qrgs

Appendix A

AzHAN Coalition Partner to Partner Message Flowchart

Appendix B

Appendix D

AZCHER SOUTH REGION HCC CONTACT INFORMATION

Appendix E

QRG Administration