Health Care Communications
Health Care Communications Services
SCCo ARES/RACES provides a variety of communications capabilities for emergency managers in the Public Health Department Operations Center (PHDOC), hospital command centers (HCCs), and allied health facilities.
- Message Traffic
ARES/RACES stations in health care facilities can send and receive messages for emergency managers. Both written and verbal messages can be exchanged between the PHDOC, hospitals, allied health facilities, local city EOCs, and tactical field units like points of dispensing (PODs).
ARES/RACES messages are handled with a workflow designed for emergency communications, including message numbering, logging, and tracking. ARES/RACES operators are trained on the specific ICS and emergency management forms used by our served agencies, including the HAvBed, Medical Facility Status, and Allied Health Facility Status report forms.
- Resilient Email and Internet Access
HCCs with line of sight to one of the SCCo ARES/RACES backbone sites can establish a radio link to the SCCo ARES/RACES intranet. This provides:
- A backup email service that isn’t dependent on regular Internet connections and external service providers.
- Backup connections to the global Internet, in four widely-dispersed locations.
- Less contention on the SCCo ARES/RACES packet net.
Health Care Facility Radio Rooms
To take advantage of these communications capabilities, the PHDOC and each hospital command center has an associated radio room. Many allied health facilities also have radio equipment. Recommendations are given below.
Operator Training and Assignments
Radio operators in health care facilities must be licensed, trained, and credentialed appropriately for their assignment:
There is a monthly practice net for hospital stations, and they take part in occasional broader exercises such as the annual Statewide Medical Health Exercise.
Getting Help
For questions or assistance with health care communications, join our hpusmygsH|mn9n!t$>%twz*E,*1-1L)0 email discussion group, or contact the Hospital Net Coordinator (see staff list).