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EAST TENNESSEE HOSPITALS AND KNOX COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO SPONSOR EBOLA COMMUNITY FORUM

October 16, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 16, 2014

For media inquiries, contact:
Lauren Miller
Moxley Carmichael
865-544-0088

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The Knox County Health Department, together with regional hospital systems and other health care organizations will host an unprecedented community forum to educate the public about Ebola and address questions and concerns about the disease.

“The East Tennessee Health Forum on Ebola” is open to the public and will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, in the auditorium on the lower level of the Knoxville Convention Center. Free parking will be available in the Poplar Street parking lot across Cumberland Avenue from the center. Additional parking is available in city garages, including nearby Locust Street Garage.

Medical experts from the Knox County Health Department, Blount Memorial Hospital, Covenant Health, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, TeamHealth, Tennova Health System, the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville Infectious Disease Consultants and Knoxville Academy of Medicine will discuss the disease, its treatment and the measures being taken to protect the public.

Summit Medical Group, the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, MEDIC Regional Blood Center, the Tennessee Office of EMS and Tennessee Health Department representatives from the East Tennessee region are being invited to participate. Hallerin Hilton Hill of Newstalk 98.7 WOKI-FM will moderate the discussion. The Knoxville News Sentinel is the media sponsor.

Covenant Health CEO Tony Spezia said the forum would meet a need for more information about how hospitals and other health care professionals are effectively preparing to treat the disease, protect staff and the public and adjust as circumstances evolve.

“It is gratifying that every hospital system, physicians, health departments and emergency workers are working together to assure that our region is prepared to deliver the best possible response,” Spezia said. “Everyone is committed to cooperatively making this region as safe as possible, and all parties readily agreed to join together in this unprecedented forum to educate the public.”

Each hospital will provide an expert to discuss the disease and its treatment at the forum. Other health care organizations will be available to answer questions as well. An email address has been created for the public to send questions in advance: [email protected].

The public is urged to continue to get flu shots and take care of health needs during this period.

The Knoxville Convention Center is providing free space for the forum.

 

 

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Maria Cornelius
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