1. Colorado’s Health Emergency Line for the Public (COHELP): Addressing Surge Capacity through Information Exchange
Gregory M. Bogdan, Ph.D.
Research Director
Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center
Denver Health
Denver, CO

2. Public Risk Perception
Hotline Contacts
(% population)
Event specifics (bioterrorism, child-targeted, new emerging disease) will effect the amount of public concern and numbers of people having information or others needs.

3. Challenge for Preparedness
2004 Redefining Readiness Project*
60% of public would not heed official instructions to get vaccinated during smallpox outbreak
40% of public would not heed official instructions to shelter in place during a dirty bomb incident
* R. Lasker, Center for the Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health (www. cacsh.org)

4. Public Needs Information on…..
General topic/event information
Public health messages
Personal and family protection
State/local health dept guidelines
Points of contact for referral agencies
Health decision-support and evaluation

5. “Natural Fits” Poison control centers Nurse advice lines
Drug information centers
Public health agencies

6. How a Medical Call Center Works
Hospitals & Healthcare Facilities M C
General
Public
Voice
Fax
Video
Web
Fax
Voice Web
Video
patient surges reduced by providing information and triage through multiple paths
Health
Professionals
Local & State Public Health Agencies

7. COHELP Objectives
Develop a standardized and prepared response to public health events
Provide consistent, accurate information
Collect and maintain structured data to better characterize events and responses
Develop capability and capacity to adapt to emerging public health emergencies

8. COHELP Service Users Public Healthcare Providers COHELP 877-462-2911
Clinics
Schools
Health
Agencies
Hospitals
& EDs

9. Referral Procedures Caller COHELP Poison Center Nurse Line
Local Health
Agencies
CDPHE
Healthcare
Providers

10. Provides 1-on-1 Information
Toronto – SARS outbreak, Mar to Jun 2003
Total Calls = >300,000
Peak Daily Calls = 47,567
Deaths: 44 Cases: 438
COHELP – Two Outbreaks, Jul to Dec 2003
Total Calls = 36,170
West Nile Virus (WNV) Calls = 12,555
Deaths: 47 Cases: 2,543
Influenza/Pneumonia Calls = 23,615
Deaths: 809 Cases: 11,427

11. Reduces Hospital Surge
United States Poison Control Centers
Of 2.4 million contacts about potential toxic exposures, 1.8 million (75%) were managed outside of health care facilities
Denver Health Nurse Line
Manages 40% of callers at home
70% callers changed plans
16% planned home care but 47% chose it after calling

12. Other Benefits Standardized, accurate information delivery
Call center infrastructure/technology
Adaptability
Integrated Web sites (
Trained information providers
Defined referral procedures
Structured data collection and reporting

13. Lessons Learned
Public health events will continue to occur and will require a response
Need structured, coordinated systems to respond to these events that are:
Cost-effective
Efficient
Accurate
Consistent
Adaptable

14. More Lessons Learned
Call volume driven by event specifics and media attention
Easy to adapt messages to meet evolving public health and public needs
Surveillance
Ongoing surveillance signals
call volumes, topics requested, collected data
Sentinel event system
can identify new health concerns

15. For More Information
“Health Emergency Assistance Line and Triage Hub (HEALTH) Model” report on AHRQ Web site by end of year
HEALTH Contact Center Assessment Tool on HSRNET or AHRQ Web sites
now)
(available by end of year)