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SIX KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE SCREENING
Enhanced surveillance
Training and education
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Risk assessment and triage at points of entry
Collaboration and communication
pathogens as being novel or re-emerging agents that are easily transmitted from person to person . They have limited or no medical countermeasures like vaccines or prophylaxis , and they cause high mortality rates . “ This is why the Joint Commission wants us to have plans in place to promptly identify these pathogens which also require immediate notification to public health authorities ,” Kley said . “ With the Joint Commission standard , there are two elements of performance , which are the specific actions or practices that must be in place for us to be compliant . IC 07.01.01 requires that we have protocols in place that are readily available at the point of care , and that we educate and train our staff members who are then deemed competent to carry out these protocols . If you educate and train healthcare personnel without making sure they are competent , you have wasted your time . “
Kley explained that the elements of performance protocols must identify , isolate , and inform . “ Under identify , we need screening procedures at points of entry for fever , respiratory signs and symptoms , fever and rash , as well as travel history . Under isolate , we need procedures for transmission based precautions , PPE donning and doffing , cleaning and disinfection and waste management , keeping in mind that we may need enhanced transmission-based precautions or isolation precautions as well as enhanced PPE such as the bunny suit and the PAPRs . And then under cleaning and disinfection , we may need enhanced cleaning and very specific chemistries . Under inform , it ’ s all about communication , and I think this is one of the biggest aspects of an emergency response that that was broken early in the COVID-19 pandemic . But I think we ’ ve clearly learned a lot in those three or four years . So , I would say leverage what we ’ ve learned .”
Regarding patient screening , Kley noted , “ A solid upstream process to identify and contain emerging infectious diseases can save us a lot of backpedaling downstream .” She added , “ The key points of entry into our healthcare facilities where our screening should be occurring include emergency departments , outpatient clinics and admission areas . I know it seems like a no-brainer , but for every patient that comes through our doors , our clinicians should be asking themselves , ‘ Could this patient have a communicable disease ?’ That kind of critical thinking must be second nature .”
Kley reviewed the six key considerations for emerging infectious disease screening , which include enhanced surveillance , risk assessment and triage at points of entry ; diagnostic testing and rapid response ; training and education ; collaboration and communication ; and infrastructure and resources .
“ For enhanced surveillance and early detection , we should be continuously monitoring for unusual illness patterns or clusters of symptoms , ensuring that all staff are on the lookout for signs and
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Diagnostic testing and rapid response
Infrastructure and resources
Epidemiologists Call for Improved Coordination and Funding for Infectious Disease Monitoring
The patchwork of systems of global and domestic monitoring for the next infectious disease threat should be expanded , linked and better funded ; and public and private health agencies must improve coordination to be prepared for the next global disease threat , according to position statements released in June by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America ( SHEA ).
The SHEA Position Statement on Pandemic Preparedness for Policymakers , published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology , draws from lessons learned in the COVID-19 pandemic to identify policy changes needed to bolster pandemic preparedness in light of weaknesses identified during COVID-19 .
“ The pandemic underscored the vital need for better collaboration and robust preparedness strategies to prevent and mitigate the impact of infectious disease outbreaks ,” said SHEA president Tom Talbot , MD , in introducing the five-part series . “ It is time to update policies from health systems to government agencies to ensure the healthcare workforce , communication plans , crucial supplies , data access , and disease surveillance position us for the next challenge .”
Multiple surveillance systems create a patchwork of networks with limited data coordination and uneven geographic distribution that interfere with the ability to track emerging infectious diseases , according to the policy document . The authors recommend funding linkages among these disparate global and domestic surveillance systems , including government agencies and non-governmental organizations , to facilitate early detection of emerging infectious diseases . Other key recommendations include :
• Increase stockpiles of key equipment in the U . S . National Strategic Stockpile and improve transparency into what the stockpile contains and how to access it .
• Increase transparency into events that impact the supply chain , such as factory shutdowns , and maintain a federal list of shortages with regular updates .
• Ensure rapid and early FDA action to allow importation and use of non-U . S . approved devices and medications .
• Maintain six-month supplies of personal protective equipment ( PPE ), antiseptics , and surface disinfectants at local hospitals , with rotation to avoid having materials expire .
• Create prioritized management strategies for shortages of N95 respirators and single-use gloves based on risk of transmission and strategies for extending the life of available supplies .
• Fund initiatives to assist with identification of mis- and dis-information , and to develop effective communications strategies for addressing these challenges .
• Support the advancement of research into effective health communications strategies .
• Develop communications strategies that can clearly express uncertainty in a way that is understandable to a wide audience and does not undermine trust .
“ Multidisciplinary experts with diverse perspectives and experiences comprise our writing group ,” said Lynne Batshon , SHEA ’ s director of policy and practice . “ Pooling the collective knowledge of this diverse team , we have developed a series of policy recommendations to strengthen domestic and global pandemic preparedness and response efforts .”
july 2024 • www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com •
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