Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center Cooperative Agreement for Region 10

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital (PSHMC&CH) is a large tertiary hospital serving the Providence Inland Northwest Washington (INWA) service area and regional catchment area, located in Spokane, WA. The Providence INWA service are offers care services for a 90,000 square mile geographical area from Eastern Washington, Idaho, Northwest Montana, and Eastern Oregon. PSHMC&CH has functioned as the Region 10 Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC) for the past 7 years. Region 10 includes the states of Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. PSHMC&CH is a mission-based organization that is steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. The Special Pathogens Program and unit located at PSHMC&CH maintains a specialized unit and team to provide care for patients with highly infectious diseases. This specialized unit includes a laboratory where specimens are processed from patients in this high level of isolation. The caregivers on this specialized team include nurses, physicians, advanced practice providers, respiratory therapists, laboratorians, and environmental service workers, and emergency management, as well as clinicians from other departments that support the unit's operations. The team members go through robust training and education to maintain expertise to provide care in this setting. Maintaining this unit and expertise is an advanced capability to keep our community and region safe. The Special Pathogens Program collaborates with community partners across the four-state region as well as nationally with National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center and the other 9 RESPTC's. These partners include local and state public health, emergency medical services (EMS), healthcare coalitions, and other hospitals across the region. The program has consistently planned, led, facilitated, and participated in many planning, training, organizing activities, and exercises with partners across Region 10, nationally, and intra-regionally to increase our regional and national capability to assure safe transport and care of patients with highly infectious disease. PSHMC&CH is committed to continue to serve as the region 10 RESPTC and help advance the capabilities across the region to increase overall preparedness for the care of patients with special pathogens. This will be accomplished by providing education, training, community, and region-based exercises, and serving as a resource and leader for Region 10 for the safe care and transport of patients with special pathogens. PSHMC&CH is committed to partnering with all stakeholders across the region to advance preparedness for special pathogens to keep our communities safe.