Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T03:54:39.915Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Infectious Disease Network (IDN): Development and Use for Evaluation of Potential Ebola Cases in Georgia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2018

Alezandria K. Turner ,
Robert K. Wages ,
Kelly Nadeau ,
Laura Edison ,
Peki F. Prince ,
Earnest R. Doss Jr. ,
Cherie Drenzek  and
Patrick O’Neal
Alezandria K. Turner
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Atlanta, Georgia
Robert K. Wages
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
Kelly Nadeau
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
Laura Edison*
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Atlanta, Georgia
Peki F. Prince
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
Earnest R. Doss Jr.
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
Cherie Drenzek
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
Patrick O’Neal
Affiliation:
Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Laura Edison, Georgia Department of Public Health, 2 Peachtree St NW, 14th FL, Atlanta, GA 30303 (e-mail:[email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In response to the 2014 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa, the Georgia Department of Public Health developed the Infectious Disease Network (IDN) based on an EVD preparedness needs assessment of hospitals and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. The network consists of 12 hospitals and 16 EMS providers with staff specially trained to provide a coordinated response and utilize appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the transport or treatment of a suspected or confirmed serious communicable disease patient. To become a part of the network, each hospital and EMS provider had to demonstrate EVD capabilities in areas such as infection control, PPE, waste management, staffing and ongoing training, and patient transport and placement. To establish the network, the Georgia Department of Public Health provided training and equipment for EMS personnel, evaluated hospitals for EVD capabilities, structured communication flow, and defined responsibilities among partners. Since March 2015, the IDN has been used to transport, treat, and/or evaluate suspected or confirmed serious communicable disease cases while ensuring health care worker safety. Integrated infectious disease response systems among hospitals and EMS providers are critical to ensuring health care worker safety, and preventing or mitigating a serious communicable disease outbreak. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:765-771)

Keywords

Ebola virus diseaseinfection controlemergency medical servicesemergency preparedness
Type
Concepts in Disaster Medicine
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 6 , December 2018 , pp. 765 - 771
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ebola outbreak in West Africa - case counts, 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/case-counts.html. Last updated April 13, 2016. Accessed September 8, 2016.Google Scholar
2. Chevalier, MS, Chung, W, Smith, J, et al. Ebola virus disease cluster in the United States–Dallas County, Texas, 2014. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014;63(46):1087-1088.Google Scholar
3. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NIAID emerging infectious diseases/pathogens. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/emerging-infectious-diseases-pathogens. Last updated October 26, 2016. Accessed January 15, 2017.Google Scholar
4. Pavot, V. Ebola virus vaccines: where do we stand? Clin Immunol. 2016;173:44-49.Google Scholar
5. Trad, MA, Naughton, W, Yeung, A, et al. Ebola virus disease: an update on current prevention and management strategies. J Clin Virol. 2017;86:5-13.Google Scholar
6. World Health Organization. Health worker Ebola infections in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone: a preliminary report. http://www.who.int/hrh/documents/21may2015_web_final.pdf. Published May 21, 2015. Accessed January 21, 2016.Google Scholar
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ebola Factsheet. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/ebola-factsheet.pdf?pdf=image. Last updated August 11, 2015. Accessed January 25, 2016.Google Scholar
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used by healthcare workers during management of patients with confirmed Ebola or persons under investigation (PUIs) for Ebola who are clinically unstable or have bleeding, vomiting, or diarrhea in U.S. hospitals, including procedures for donning and doffing PPE. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/ppe/guidance.html. Last updated November 17, 2015. Accessed February 3, 2016.Google Scholar
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For U.S. healthcare settings: donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) for evaluating persons under investigation (PUIs) for Ebola who are clinically stable and do not have bleeding, vomiting, or diarrhea. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/ppe/guidance-clinically-stable-puis.html. Last updated November 17, 2015. Accessed January 29, 2016.Google Scholar
10. Stehling-Ariza, T, Fisher, E, Vagi, S, et al. Monitoring of persons with risk for exposure to Ebola virus disease – United States, November 3, 2014-March 8, 2015. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(25):685-689.Google Scholar
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Joint airport screening factsheet. http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/images/JointAirportScreeningFactSheet.pdf. Last updated October 8, 2014. Accessed January 29, 2016.Google Scholar
12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Case definitions for Ebola virus disease (EVD). https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/evaluating-patients/case-definition.html. Last updated January 26, 2015. Accessed January 29, 2016.Google Scholar
13. Lundstrom, T, Pugliese, G, Bartley, J, et al. Organizational and environmental factors that affect worker health and safety and patient outcomes. Am J Infect Control. 2002;30(2):93-106.Google Scholar
14. Scheckler, WE, Brimhall, D, Buck, AS, et al. Requirements for infrastructure and essential activities of infection control and epidemiology in hospitals: a consensus panel report. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 1998;19(2):114-124.Google Scholar
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Guidance for U.S. Hospital Preparedness for Patients Under Investigation (PUIs) or with Confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD): A Framework for a Tiered Approach. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/preparing/hospitals.html. Last updated August 28, 2015. Accessed January 28, 2016.Google Scholar
16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim guidance for preparing Ebola Assessment Hospitals. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/preparing/assessment-hospitals.html. Last updated August 28, 2015. Accessed January 28, 2016.Google Scholar
17. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim guidance for preparing Ebola Treatment Centers. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/preparing/treatment-centers.html. Last updated December 15, 2014. Accessed January 28, 2016.Google Scholar
18. Rainisch, G, Asher, J, George, D, et al. Estimating Ebola treatment needs, United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015;21(7):1273.Google Scholar
19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim guidance for preparing frontline healthcare facilities for patients under investigation (PUIs) for Ebola virus disease (EVD). http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/preparing/frontline-healthcare-facilities.html. Last updated August 28, 2015. Accessed January 28, 2016.Google Scholar
20. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Identify, isolate, inform: emergency department evaluation and management for patients under investigation (PUIs) for Ebola virus disease (EVD). https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/healthcare-us/emergency-services/emergency-departments.html. Last updated December 29, 2015. Accessed February 5, 2016.Google Scholar
21. Parham, M, Edison, L, Soetebier, K, et al. Ebola active monitoring system for travelers returning from West Africa-Georgia, 2014-2015. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(13):347-350.Google Scholar
22. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Epidemiologic risk factors to consider when evaluating a person for exposure to Ebola virus. https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/exposure/risk-factors-when-evaluating-person-for-exposure.html. Last updated August 28, 2015. Accessed February 10, 2016.Google Scholar
23. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Emergency Medical Services Educational Standards. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. https://www.ems.gov/pdf/811077a.pdf. Published 2013. Accessed March 5, 2015.Google Scholar
24. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public health preparedness capabilities: national standards for state and local planning. https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/readiness/capabilities.htm. Published March 21, 2011. Accessed December 8, 2016.Google Scholar
25. World Health Organization. Latest Ebola outbreak over in Liberia; West Africa is at zero, but new flare-ups are likely to occur. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/ebola-zero-liberia/en/. Published January 14, 2016. Accessed March 25, 2016.Google Scholar