Panic? Hospitals now have an “Ebola Checklist”
September 15, 2014
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new "ebola checklist" detailing the best practices for hospitals and health care professionals who are tasked with treating patients infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD.)
From the checklist:
In order to enhance our collective preparedness and response efforts, this checklist highlights key areas for hospital staff -- especially hospital emergency management officers, infection control practitioners, and clinical practitioners -- to review in preparation for a person with EVD arriving at a hospital for medical care. The checklist provides practical and specific suggestions to ensure your hospital is able to detect possible EVD cases, protect your employees, and respond appropriately. While we are not aware of any domestic EVD cases (other than two American citizens who were medically evacuated to the United States), now is the time to prepare, as it is possible that individuals with EVD in West Africa may travel to the United States, exhibit signs and symptoms of EVD, and present to facilities.The checklist's provisions appear to have the goal of holding hospitals accountable for following protocol, training their employees in EVD detection, and being prepared to isolate patients and protect staff. It also provides a "quick resources list" that administrators and providers can use to educate staff about the disease, help answer questions from the community, and follow the status of outbreaks.