index case and their contacts , ability to effectively communicate the need for contacts to quarantine , and willingness of a population to follow quarantine recommendations . Building rapport and trust is a critical step for the contact tracing process which may influence an individual ’ s willingness to comply with directions . 1
As more point of care testing is made available and health care providers in private clinic settings advise patients with COVID-19 symptoms , it is imperative that health care providers statewide also prepare their patients for calls related to case investigation and contact tracing efforts . The clinical visit , either through telemedicine or face-toface , is an initial point of contact with COVID-19 cases which provides physicians and other providers an unique opportunity to educate patients regarding the disease and augment the efforts of public health personnel .
The following are steps that can be implemented in medical practices to create awareness and help with contact tracing efforts : 4
• Inform each patient who tests positive for COVID-19 that they should expect an initial call from a case investigator on behalf of the ADH .
• Stress the importance of self-isolation to prevent spreading and transmitting the disease to family and friends .
• Encourage patients to talk directly to the people they have been in contact with while they were contagious and urge them to ask those contacts , if possible , to quarantine .
• Ask patients to make a list of contacts beginning two days prior to symptom onset or the
AFMC : A CLOSER LOOK AT QUALITY
Contact Tracing Organizations Arkansas Department of Health ( 800 ) 803-7847 AFMC 833 ) 283-2019 General Dynamics Information Technology ( 877 ) 272-6819
specimen collection date of positive a COVID-19 test ( if the patient is asymptomatic ). This will enable them to be prepared to share that information when taking a call from the contact tracer .
• Make them aware of what phone numbers to expect calls from .
• Arkansas Department of Health ( 800 ) 803-7847
• AFMC ( 833 ) 283-2019
• General Dynamics Information Technology ( 877 ) 272-6819
Educate patients that there are scams and to be aware that anyone calling on behalf of the ADH will not be asking for credit card information , money , or social security numbers . s
Dr . Bondurant is the interim program director for contact tracing at AFMC and microbiologist at ATC Scientific .
Anita Joshi , BDS , MPH is Supervisor for the Data analysis team in the Analytics department at the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care .
Nathan Ray is the Chief Business Officer at the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care . He is the executive sponsor for AFMC ’ s COVID-19 contact tracing , case investigation , and field testing programs . He also oversees AFMC ’ s utilization management , analytical services , business intelligence , and information technology programs .
REFERENCES :
1 . ASTHO - https :// www . astho . org / COVID-19 / Contact-Tracing-and-Disease-Intervention /? terms = contact + tracing
2 . CDC - https :// www . cdc . gov / coronavirus / 2019-ncov / php / contact-tracing / contact-tracing-plan / contact-tracing . html
3 . https :// www . sciencemag . org / news / 2020 / 05 / countries-around-world-are-rolling-out-contact-tracing-apps-contain-coronavirus-how
4 . AMA- https :// www . ama-assn . org / delivering-care / public-health / what-physicians-cando-boost-covid-19-contact-tracing-efforts
AFMC WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH PROVIDERS , COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO PROMOTE THE QUALITY OF CARE IN ARKANSAS THROUGH EDUCATION AND EVALUATION . FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AFMC QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS , CALL 1-877-375-5700 OR VISIT AFMC . ORG . NOVEMBER 2020
Volume 117 • Number 5 NOVEMBER 2020 • 109