Our Project
In October 2008, Spectrum Health received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
through the State of Michigan to develop a template on how to deliver essential health care services during an
influenza pandemic.
The primary objective of the project was to develop a set of planning and operations guidelines that health care
providers in a specific geographic region could use to identify and provide essential health care services, while also
caring for large numbers of hospitalized and home-bound victims of a flu pandemic. The guidelines that have been
developed will describe how communities will work together to support essential health care services (e.g., emergency
departments, primary care, obstetrics, pediatrics), to describe where health services will be provided, and how
communities will maintain supply lines, staffing levels and other infrastructures during an influenza pandemic. An
underlying project outcome was to demonstrate how hospital emergency department (ED) overcrowding can be
mitigated by screening actual and potential pandemic influenza patients and expediting their access to locally defined,
optimal levels of care, such as a health care facility or an alternate care site (i.e., in-home).
Spectrum Health coordinated this project in collaboration with providers in an area of West and Central Michigan
known in federal health care preparedness grant activities as Michigan Region 6. Spectrum Health, based in Grand
Rapids, Michigan, is a designated Level I Trauma Center and National Disaster Medical System facility. Spectrum
Health served as the lead agency and fiduciary for this project. As West Michigan’s largest not-for-profit health care
system, Spectrum Health provides a full continuum of care through its seven hospitals and more than 140 service sites.
Moreover, Spectrum Health serves over 67 counties as the regional tertiary referral center, providing support to rural,
community-based hospitals throughout West Michigan. Region 6 is well-suited for the kind of collaboration that was
necessary to fulfill the primary focus of this project because it includes a large health care system, small independent
hospitals, recognized community and rural health centers, well-developed local and regional emergency preparedness
committees, active local health districts and private health care providers who have been engaged in ongoing joint planning
activities during the last five years.
Project partners utilized established volunteer coalition structures to develop new committees that were comprised of
traditional health care providers, legal and ethical experts and representatives from private industry and universities.
Staff and subject-matter experts ensured that each project component was of the highest quality. Committees worked
for the previous 10 months to: determine essential health care services for regional communities; describe how limiting
services will impact communities; define and describe the ethical ramifications of these decisions; and produce final
guideline documents. Work was divided among the committees (e.g., ethics, staffing, in-home care), a program medical
director, a program manager, a program coordinator and an executive committee, each with measurable and defined
objectives. This project demonstrates how ED overcrowding can be prevented and how essential health care services
within a community during an eight-week flu pandemic cycle should be defined and maintained. The collaborative nature
of the Region 6 partners (including Spectrum Health) and their commitment to cooperative efforts to benefit 1.4 million
residents of this region will greatly increase the project’s overall success, impact and sustainability.
This binder is approximately 100 percent funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Essential Healthcare Services Project (Award 1U90TP000218-01).
Spectrum Health, along with the State of Michigan, the CDC and the Region 6 Coalition, thank each of the following
committee members and their organizations for their hard work and dedication during this project:
Program Medical Director
Mark Hall, MD
Program Manager
Julie Bulson, MPA, RN, BSN
Program Coordinator
Mark Van Dyke, MEd
Program Administrative Assistant
Kim Cooper
Agencies and Committee Members
Calvin College
Janel Curry, Dean for Research and Scholarship
Ruth Groenhout, PhD, Professor of Philosophy, Project Consultant
Carson City Hospital
Sheri Waldron, RN, BSN, Emergency Planning Coordinator
Central Michigan Community Hospital
Melanie Allen, BSN, RN, CIC, Infection Preventionist
Central Michigan Home Care
Jo Meyer, Medical Social Worker
City of Grand Rapids
Amy Kosta, Homeland Security Regional Planner
City of Ionia
Doug DeVries, Officer
Comprehensive Emergency Management Associates
Lewis “Tres” Brooke, III, BA, MSA, Director Northern Branch
Byron Callies, MSHS, CHEP, CEM, Emergency Management Consultant
Joe DeFors, AD, BS, MPA, Principle
Penny Rodriguez, Project Specialist
Tom Shaver, PEM, MEP, Principle
Davenport University
Jerome Drain, PhD, Division Chair of Science
Margaret Harvey, Associate Dean of Nursing
Beverly Mihalko, MPH, MT, CIC, CHSP, Associate Dean of Allied Health
District Health Department #10
Brenda Kailing, RN, BSN, Emergency Response Specialist
Emergency Care Specialists
Matthew Denenberg, MD, FACEP, FAAP
Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, Inc.
Jim VanBendegom, Project Manager, Regional Planning
Ferris State University
John Scott Gray, PhD, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Gerber Memorial Health Services
Kathy Miller, RN, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Al Nieboer, NP
Marianne Patten, Director ER and Surgical Services
Grand Valley State University
Pamela Ronning, Simulation Team Program Coordinator
Chris Swank, Equipment Manager
Grandville Fire Department
Mike May, Lieutenant
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
Lynette Bush, RN, BSN, Disaster Preparedness Contact/Lead Transport Nurse
Lynette Johnson, RNC, BSN, MSA, Outreach Coordinator
Holland Hospital
Jon Kuyten, Safety and Regulatory Affairs
Interpretor Network, LLC
Sheila Rettig, RN, MSN, President
Ionia County Health Department
Craig Wheeler, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Kent County Information Technology Department
Barb Hiemstra
Kent County Emergency Management
Susan Barthels, PEM, LEPC Coordinator
Jack Stewart, Emergency Management Coordinator
Kent County EMS
Todd Chassee, MD, Medical Director
Damon Obiden, EMT-P/IC, Quality Improvement/Infection Control
Kent County Health Department
Mary Lutzke, Epidemiologist
Dayna Porter, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Life EMS Ambulance
Brenton Walker, BS, HCA, CCEMT-P/IC, Health and Safety Manager
Mason-Oceana 911
Connie Blaauw, Dispatcher
Michigan Department of Community Health
Diana Brown, MS, Epidemiologist, Region 6
Kerry Chamberlain, Pandemic Influenza Outreach and Exercise Liaison
Cheryl Klima, MA, LLPC, Bioterrorism Coordinator, EMS and Trauma Systems
Mary McQueen, Planning and Competency Unit Manager
Val Reed, Laboratory Training Coordinator, Bureau of Laboratories
Ashley VandeKopple, Planner, Office of Public Health Preparedness
Mecosta County EMS
Daniel Farrow, EMT-P, Station Coordinator
Tim Ladd, Director
Mecosta County Medical Center
Mary Ann Hyde, RN, BSN, MSN, Infection Control
Carol Wilson, RN, Quality Services Director
Mercy Health Partners
Leon Conklin, BBL, CCP, L-RT, Director of Safety and Security
Metro Health Hospital
Deb Paul-Cheadle
Lynn Zabler, RN, EHS and Safety
Metropolitan Medical Response System of Kent County
Michelle Thompson, Program Planner
Michigan Attorney General’s Office
Michael Leffler, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General
michigan medical, pc
Jim Anderson, Operations Coordinator
John Becker, Network Manager
Sherry Closson, Clinical Education and Safety Coordinator
Sue Engerman, RN, OSHA Coordinator
Greg Marco, MD, Critical Care Physician
Cheri Mathis, IT Support Services Manager
Cathy Thompson, Operations Coordinator
Michigan State University
Robert Petroelje, MD, Associate Professor, College of Human Medicine
Mid Michigan Medical Center – Clare
MaryJo Beal, Emergency Operations Coordinator
Mid-Michigan District Health Department
Lynda Farquharson, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Montcalm County Emergency Management
Jerry McCoy, BS, EMT-P/IC, Director
North Ottawa Community Health System
Warren Billett, Manager, EMS Division
Chris Fortin, BS, BSN, MHAS, Clinical Coordinator, ED/ICU
Teresa German
Oceana County EMS
Lance Corey, EMS Director
Ottawa County EMD
Bill Smith, EMD Director
Ottawa County Emergency Management
Beth Thomas, PEM, Regional Planner
Ottawa County Health Department
Jennifer Brown, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Ottawa Medical Control Board Authority
Rich Szczepanek, EMS Systems Administrator
Professional Med Team, Inc.
James Bartholomew, Director of Operations
Ravenna Public Schools
Cyntha Hunter, School Nurse
Reel Response Solutions, LLC
Eric Smith, Consultant/Trainer
Region 6 Bio-Defense Network Coalition
Jamie Crouch, Bioterrorism Coordinator
Consuelo Maxim, EMT-P, Education and Project Coordinator
Region 6 Muskegon County MCA
Jerry Evans, MD, Medical Director
Rockford Ambulance
Matt McConnon, Chief Operations Officer
Saint Mary’s Health Care
Kim Greenwald, Infection Control Coordinator
Mark Iverson, Director of Compliance/Security/Emergency Management
Scholten Fant, PC
Bruce Rissi, Attorney
Sheridan Community Hospital
Connie Meekma, RN, Safety Officer and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge
Cindy Boer, Attorney
Spectrum Health
Tim Bulson, Grant Writer
Frederick Bw’Ombongi, MHA, Manager, Translation and Interpreting Services
David Dahl, Applications Manager
Kathy Kinsman, Risk Manager
Laura Kuenzer, RS, EOC Safety Officer, Kelsey and United Hospitals
Cathy Ostrowski, RN, BS, CIC, Infection Control Manager
Luanne Shaw, RN, MSN, CEN, Nurse Educator, Blodgett Emergency Department
Katie Sims, Quality Improvement Coordinator, Reed City Hospital
Kevin Throop, RN, Supervisor, Butterworth Emergency Department
Barb Van Dyke, RN, BSN, CHCR, Talent Acquisition Specialist
Larry Walter, Telecommunications Manager
Bob Wilson, IT Enterprise Operations Manager
Spectrum Health Medical Group
Steve Triesenberg, MD
The RAPID
Steve Luther, Safety and Training Officer
Warner, Norcross & Judd, LLP
Cara Jansma, JD, Attorney
WHD Enterprises, LLC
Pamela Boody, Consultant
Zeeland Community Hospital
Dennis Barber, Director of Safety/Facilities/Materials
Debra Guy, RN, Emergency Room Patient Care Manager
Lynette Kemme, Quality Coordinator