Customer service, something we pride ourselves in at PHD

This week is Customer Service Week, something we pride ourselves in at PHD, and I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the work of PHD staff and volunteers. To begin, I would like report on what our team has been focused on through the pandemic:

• Vaccination Administration and Distribution. In the five northern counties, 89,763 individuals are fully vaccinated. PHD operates four off-site mass vaccine clinics and provides vaccinations at PHD’s five office locations. We continue to distribute vaccine doses to enrolled vaccine partners throughout the five northern counties.

• Testing and Order Writing. We have written over 17,051 test orders and have performed 6,427 tests. We continue to write orders for all five counties within our jurisdiction.

• Call Center. Our call center operates Monday-Friday and has fielded 128,321 calls.

• Case Investigation and Contact Tracing. There have been 34,823 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among residents of the Panhandle. Our case investigation and contact tracing team have made countless phone calls, sent isolation letters, and followed up with community members who contracted COVID-19.

• Data Reporting. Our data is updated Monday-Friday to provide our community the best representation of COVID-19 in our area. Based on feedback from community members, PHD continues to adjust and report data that our community finds relevant and important.

• Information Sharing. Keeping our community partners informed has been important to us throughout the pandemic. We have dedicated liaisons who communicate with our schools, long-term care facilities, higher education institutions, and business community. We also provide weekly reports to each county Emergency management office. Our PIO team is regularly in contact with local and regional media outlets and keeps our website and social media updated.

• Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). We have over 400 active MRC volunteers that have continued to serve the community throughout the pandemic. The MRC have assisted not only PHD, but other healthcare facilities in times of need. They have dedicated over 23,971 hours.

Beyond the pandemic response, PHD offers over 40 other services to our community. PHD staff have adapted and pivoted in order to continue to provide these needed services safely. PHD’s Clinical services, WIC, Health Promotions, Environmental Health, Home Health, Nurse Home Visiting, Epidemiology, Fiscal/Billing, Public Health Preparedness and the Administrative teams have all done amazing work during an incredibly difficult time.

Thank you to our staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts. Thank you also to our community, for supporting our efforts, for choosing to wear a mask to protect each other, and for receiving the vaccine. We want to do everything we can to bring our community through this pandemic. I appreciate each one of you for your perseverance and dedication to protecting our community.

PHD urges community members to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine appointment through PHD or other participating providers in the area. Visit PHD’s COVID-19 Vaccine website or call the PHD COVID-19 hotline to schedule your appointment at 877-415-5225.

Hotline hours of operation are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering in the COVID-19 response, please register at www.volunteeridaho.com.

• • •

Don Duffy is the district director for Panhandle Health District.