The Health District is required by the Washington State Department of Health to maintain after-hours availability for emergent public health needs. The Washington Poison Center (WPC) has provided answering-service support for after-hours and weekend/holiday emergency calls since September 2017. We have come to the end of the current contract with WPC and will need to do the formal RFP process for a new vendor.

We will be looking for a vendor who can answers calls from health care providers, hospitals, laboratories, and local emergency agency personnel regarding public health issues that are immediately reportable or need urgent attention and cannot wait until the next business day. The vendor will need to triage calls according to scripts provided by the District and route calls to the appropriate District staff. They will need to document all calls in their electronic medical record system and send weekly reports to the District.

Consistent with Resolution 19-20 and the revised Division of Responsibilities (10/8/19), the Board of Health receives retains authority over the pursuit of new, extending, or renewing grants and contracts over $50,000 or requiring matching funds.

MOVE TO authorize the Administrative Officer to release a request for proposal to identify a vendor to provide after-hours emergency call services.