MERS-CoV Communication Plan

Purpose Statement and Scope

This plan supports the corporate & community communication related to a MERS-CoV outbreak at CMH This plan does not support clinical communications or educational communications

Business objectives To ensure a safe environment for staff, patients and visitors Communications goals
To promote information about MERS-CoV to key audiences and keep them informed To relay Public Health messages to internal audiences To ensure that all the necessary stakeholders are informed

Prior history
H1N1 outbreak in 2010: o During the H1N1 outbreak, CMH was in constant communication with Public Health, each day a committee would meet to discuss messaging and communication tactics that were proposed from Public Health o CMHs communication plan is secondary to the messaging that Public Health wishes to communicate in the chance of an epidemic o Messaging and tactics were put in place prior to the first case in the Region

Current situation
There are no reported cases of the MERS-CoV virus in Canada Clinical staff are screening patients with an updated tool that asks whether they have travelled to MERS-CoV hotspots, including Saudi Arabia, Dubai and a host of other countries) Signs are posted in clinical areas of the hospital communicating certain symptoms and steps a patient should take if they are experiencing those symptoms In June 2013, was one suspected case of MERS-CoV in the Waterloo-Wellington region, but it did not fit the criteria for testing Hajj, one of the worlds largest pilgrimages (Mecca, Saudi Arabia), falls between October 13 to 18; coincidently, this is the beginning of flu season

Audience Analysis
Managers and Directors o Busy, but do read email on a regular basis o Many do not have patient contact o In charge of ensuring all their staff have access to messaging Staff o Busy - Do not read email on a regular basis, irregular access to a computer o Will first attend to messages that pertain to their work or personal circumstance before attending to corporate messages Physicians o Busy o They do have access to a computer, but normally it is used for patient care

Communication Strategies
It is recommended that periodic, proactive messaging about the MERS-CoV virus be made through normal channels/modes to maintain awareness with internal audiences Communication will be reactive in the event of a confirmed MERS-CoV case at CMH or when there is one in the region; all information made to all staff will also be made public on the CMH website Communication to media will be reactive, unless there is a need to leverage their reach into the community in case the hospital needs to declare an emergency All Public Health messages will be relayed to internal audiences The spokesperson in the case of an outbreak is Patrick Gaskin, Susan Gregoroff or Dr. Verne Glavin (Infection Control)

Key messages
CMH has # confirmed case(s) of MERS-CoV. CMH is working in partnership with the Public Health Unit. To ensure the safety of our staff, visitors and patients, we are [add actions here] If you must visit the hospital, please follow all precautions posted at each entrance. Clean your hands often and follow the instructions of staff and physicians

Communication Tactics (prepared but not distributed until needed)

Meetings, information sessions Q&As, information sheets, memos (for staff not on email) Posters Intranet site (with links to information on external internet sites) Public website e-Cast messages, communications broadcasts Email, Meditech

Critical Path (actual)

Date Complete Message/Audience/Tactic Posters set up around hospital regarding symptoms and what patients should do if they are experiencing these symptoms Periodically e-Cast messages about the MERS-COV virus First confirmed MERS patient at CMH or within the region Email general message on what is happening Intranet/email and other - Relay messages from Public Health Info session Ensure all staff, physicians and volunteers have information CMH public site post staff communications or a version to the CMH public website Media Release inform public of important hospital information, re: closures, restrictions, etc. Responsibility Infection Control

Infection Control, Communications Spokespeople Infection Control, Communications Spokespeople, Infection Control Communications

Communications