King County Healthcare Coalition

Acknowledgments Meet the Healthcare Coalition Development Team

Information and resource management is a key component of an effective emergency response. The King County Healthcare Coalition works hard to ensure that health and medical responders have access to the most up-to-date resource information on our healthcare system. For more information contact:

Allison Schletzbaum
Healthcare Resource & Information Manager
206.263.8720

Obtaining and disseminating information remains a crucial part of maintaining coordination between Healthcare Coalition members and partners. Organizing distribution lists, agendas, written reports, preparing meeting notices and transcribing minutes are essential elements that should be centrally directed to help bolster a communication system within the healthcare community. For more information contact:

Alison Alcoba
Healthcare Coalition Program Assistant
206.263.8701

The King County’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provides legal guidance to Coalition Workgroups and The King County Healthcare Coalition Executive Council, about current state and federal laws/rules that relate to public health emergencies. For more information contact:

Amy Eiden
King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office
206.296.9015

Public Health – Seattle & King County is currently under contract with the Washington State Department of Health to lead the statewide implementation of WATrac, Washington’s Healthcare Incident Management system. For more information contact:

Barbra Andrews
State Resource Project Manager
206.263.8718

During a disaster, reduction in healthcare infrastructure may place people with life threatening conditions at risk of not receiving timely and sufficient medical care. Public health- Seattle & King County is working to support an acute surge of medical needs by developing Alternate Care Facilities. The Alternate Care Facilities, also known as “Healthcare Centers” will utilize non-medical buildings that will be repurposed in the event of a disaster for the delivery of healthcare services. The goal will be to augment and assist the healthcare system by providing an alternative healthcare delivery system focused on non complex care. For More Information contact:

Bryan Heartsfield
Field Operations Manager
206.263.8716

The purpose of the Coalition is to develop and maintain a comprehensive system that assures coordination, effective communications, and optimal use of available health resources in response to emergencies and disaster for all hazards. For more information about the Coalition contact:

Cynthia Dold
Healthcare Coalition Program Manager
206.263.8715

Providing the community with effective healthcare during or following an emergency requires strategic planning, training and practice. Training and exercises provided by the King County Healthcare Coalition strive to create consistency in response across the region. They are also intended to provide a platform for healthcare organizations to network with local first responders on all-hazard issues. For more information contact:

Danica Mann
Regional Training and Exercises Coordinator

Public Health – Seattle & King County and The King County Healthcare Coalition are working to develop and review clinical care guidance related to health emergencies. This is meant to inform policy and guideline development on issues such as clinical & infection control, and personal protective measures for communicable diseases at a broader systems level. For more information contact:

Jeff Duchin, MD
Chief of Epidemiology, Public Health – Seattle & King County
206.263.8171

The King County Healthcare Coalition in conjunction with the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Poison Center are working to increase capacity between a consortium of existing medical and non-medical call centers, including staff/volunteers working from home, will be networked to provide phone triage as well as disseminate up to date health information to the general public during a public health emergency. King County is planning to pilot the project locally with the intent of further developing a coordinated statewide effort by the end of 2009. For more information contact:

Joe Cropley
Washington Poison Center
206.517.2383

The King County Healthcare Coalition is working to promote emergency preparedness and response activities within the palliative care / hospice, and pediatric healthcare sectors. Planning includes developing a palliative care and hospice care coordination plan that is standardized for the healthcare response within King County, and planning for appropriate and regionally coordinated medical care of children, including those with disabilities and special healthcare needs, in the event of a health emergency. For more information contact:

Kay Koelemay, MD
Pediatrician, Medical Epidemiologist, Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization
206.263.8188

The Healthcare Coalition strives to develop & maintain a comprehensive system that assures effective communication between our healthcare partners throughout all aspects of the planning process. Distribution of newsletters, annual reports as well as quarterly management reports becomes an essential step towards maintaining well informed members and partners. For more information contact:

Lydia Ortega
Grants, Contracts & Marketing Coordinator
206.263.8721

Public Health – Seattle & King County is building out its volunteer management system which will address protocols to register, credential, assign, train, and badge a range of medical volunteers to support a region-wide healthcare system response in a disaster. This comprehensive effort will incorporate volunteers from our Public Health Reserve Corps, other medical reserve corps within and outside King County, as well as various other volunteers. For more information contact:

Mandi George
Reserve Corp Program Manager
206.263.8308

The King County Healthcare Coalition seeks to facilitate emergency preparedness and response activities for behavioral health, home health and home care treatment delivery in King County. This includes assisting inpatient and outpatient providers with development and testing of business continuity plans to ensure continuity of care for those currently receiving chemical dependency, mental health, home care and home health services. For more information contact:

Michelle McDaniel
Emergency Preparedness Planning Manager
206.263.8712

The City of Seattle was recently awarded a FEMA Regional Catastrophic Planning Grant. As part of the grant, Public Health – Seattle & King County will be partnering with the City of Seattle to facilitate coordination between healthcare facilities, mortuary service providers and the King County Medical Examiner's Office regarding deaths that occur during an emergency or disaster. Part of the initiative will include development of policies and protocol for communication with families/Next of Kin during an emergency or disaster regarding patients, victims and unaccounted for persons as well as development of operational protocol for countywide or regional Family Assistance Centers. For more information contact:

Onora Lien
Healthcare Coalition Special Projects Manager
206.263.8717

The Healthcare Coalition recognizes the importance of its ambulatory care and long-term care partners and the critical role they will play during a public health emergency. The Coalition is working to develop plans to increase coordination, communications, and the effective use of resources among these sectors in responding to pandemic influenza and other emergencies. For more information contact:

Sarah Magill
Ambulatory & Long Term Care Program Manager
206.263.8719