TheFluMaster
Resident
City, health officials creating bird-flu plan
Early regional response strategy includes a tiered treatment system
Louie Villalobos
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 14, 2006 12:00 AM
Glendale city and health-care officials have joined forces to create
a comprehensive response plan should there be an avian-flu pandemic.
The collaborative plan is still in the very early stages, but group
officials said they are confident every aspect of the response will
be in place soon.
Members of the group, which includes Glendale, Arrowhead Hospital,
Midwestern University and the Banner Thunderbird Medical Center,
spoke with The Glendale Republic editorial board earlier this week
about pandemic preparations.
Mayor Elaine Scruggs said each entity has a detailed plan in place.
What's still lacking, she said, is a well-thought-out regional plan.
"We're really trying to administer a response to a potentially
massive problem," she said.
The group also preached personal preparedness. Residents should have
supplies on hand to carry them through several weeks of quarantined
living, assuming they choose to stay home during the outbreak.
Officials said they're not trying to frighten residents. Plans are
in place, they stress, but residents should be aware of the
possibilities.
Fire Chief Mark Burdick said a flu pandemic would make 40 percent of
residents sick. The key is to be prepared, he added.
"People who are prepared will live," Burdick said. "People who don't
prepare will die. It comes down to that simple of a statement."
Early regional plans include using a tiered treatment system that
would quickly separate patients along their medical needs. So
patients with the most pressing needs would be taken straight to
area hospitals. The rest could be treated in locations around the
city.
One of those auxiliary locations could be Midwestern University,
said Kathleen Goeppinger, the university's president.
Goeppinger said she could also see using advanced medical students
to help treat patients, under the watchful eye of medical
professionals.
"I feel we have a responsibility to protect the community," she
said. "And if we put our resources together, we can do it."
http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/0614gl-avian14Z18.html
Early regional response strategy includes a tiered treatment system
Louie Villalobos
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 14, 2006 12:00 AM
Glendale city and health-care officials have joined forces to create
a comprehensive response plan should there be an avian-flu pandemic.
The collaborative plan is still in the very early stages, but group
officials said they are confident every aspect of the response will
be in place soon.
Members of the group, which includes Glendale, Arrowhead Hospital,
Midwestern University and the Banner Thunderbird Medical Center,
spoke with The Glendale Republic editorial board earlier this week
about pandemic preparations.
Mayor Elaine Scruggs said each entity has a detailed plan in place.
What's still lacking, she said, is a well-thought-out regional plan.
"We're really trying to administer a response to a potentially
massive problem," she said.
The group also preached personal preparedness. Residents should have
supplies on hand to carry them through several weeks of quarantined
living, assuming they choose to stay home during the outbreak.
Officials said they're not trying to frighten residents. Plans are
in place, they stress, but residents should be aware of the
possibilities.
Fire Chief Mark Burdick said a flu pandemic would make 40 percent of
residents sick. The key is to be prepared, he added.
"People who are prepared will live," Burdick said. "People who don't
prepare will die. It comes down to that simple of a statement."
Early regional plans include using a tiered treatment system that
would quickly separate patients along their medical needs. So
patients with the most pressing needs would be taken straight to
area hospitals. The rest could be treated in locations around the
city.
One of those auxiliary locations could be Midwestern University,
said Kathleen Goeppinger, the university's president.
Goeppinger said she could also see using advanced medical students
to help treat patients, under the watchful eye of medical
professionals.
"I feel we have a responsibility to protect the community," she
said. "And if we put our resources together, we can do it."
http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/0614gl-avian14Z18.html