Development of an Ebola response plan for Flathead City-County Health Department in Kalispell,...
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Transcript of Development of an Ebola response plan for Flathead City-County Health Department in Kalispell,...
Development of an Ebola response plan for Flathead City-County Health Department in Kalispell, Montana
Theresa Majeski, MPHPublic Health Advisor/PHAP Associate
Public Health Associate ProgramOffice for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2015 PHAP/PHPS Summer SeminarJune 3, 2015
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support
Background
First Ebola case in United States – September 2014 Lack of Ebola-specific preparedness by health departments
Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) did not have an Ebola response plan Third most populous county in Montana, with a large medical center
Methods
Community partner meetings were held Fall 2014 FCCHD, 2 local hospitals, emergency services, law enforcement
FCCHD response plan developed to guide responders through all of the steps necessary to manage an Ebola patient or contact Quarantine and Isolation Order power transferred Checklists were developed Flowchart algorithm was created
Methods
Excerpt from FCCHD Ebola Response Plan Flowchart Algorithm
Methods
Developed Ebola contact/traveler monitoring protocol Protocol included:
• Staff instructions• Checklists• Introduction packet for contact/traveler
Direct Active Monitoring and Active Monitoring Orders created Trained four public health nurses to be Contact Investigators
(monitoring personnel) Held internal exercises
Methods
Excerpts from FCCHD Ebola Monitoring Introduction Packet
Methods
Community-wide drills tested the response plan First drill – December 2014
• Tested response plan involving monitoring protocol and Contact Investigator duties
• Patient was “dry” and developed symptoms at home in presence of Contact Investigator
Second drill – January 2015• Tested response plan without involving the monitoring protocol or Contact
Investigator• Patient was “wet” and presented at a local emergency department
Photo credit: Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake
Results
Community-wide drills Highlighted communication deficiencies among partners and internally Emphasized the need for partners to understand each other’s internal
protocols to enhance coordination efforts
Monitoring protocol Successes
• Video chatting• Data collection forms
Identified unclear outside partner communication roles and responsibilities
Challenges Overcome
Rapidly changing CDC guidelines Contact Investigators training
Unexpected challenges arose from an out of state healthcare worker staying in Flathead County for 21-day monitoring
Future Implications
Response plan is translatable to other health departments and other communicable diseases
Response plan can be scaled up as needed
Working with community partners on the Ebola response has led to discussions about preparing for the next known or unknown communicable disease outbreak
For more information, please contact CDC’s Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support
4770 Buford Highway NE, Mailstop E-70, Atlanta, GA 30341Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)/TTY: 1-888-232-6348E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.cdc.gov/stltpublichealth
The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Questions?Theresa Majeski, MPH
Public Health Advisor/PHAP AssociateCDC/OSTLTS/OD1035 1st Ave West
Kalispell, MT 59901406-260-4906
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support