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SHEA, CDC release guidance for epidemiologists in outbreaks
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The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the CDC have published guidance for health care epidemiologists on preparing for and responding to disease outbreaks.
The guidance, published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, outlines key roles for epidemiologists that range from advising incident response leaders on specific pathogens to fine-tuning communication with the public. It is designed for acute care hospitals, but the authors said its principles can be applied to other types of health care settings like long-term care facilities and free-standing EDs. It is also part of a larger effort by SHEA and the CDC to equip providers with tools to stop outbreaks in health care facilities.
“This guidance details the role of the health care epidemiologist as an expert and leader supporting hospitals in preparing for, stopping and recovering from infectious diseases crises,” guidance co-author David Banach, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut and hospital epidemiologist at UConn Health, said in a news release. “Armed with the resources to develop and support key activities, health care epidemiologists can utilize their skills and expertise in investigation and response to infectious disease outbreaks within a hospital’s incident command system.”
Overall, the guidance document calls on health care epidemiologists (HEs) to lend their medical and technical expertise to prevent and respond to outbreaks. It also lists ways they can coordinate with stakeholders and influence communication inside and outside their institution.
When following the guidance, an HE in most facilities would be part of the command staff under the institution’s incident command system (ICS), the framework under which leaders and staff coordinate an emergency response. The HE would offer scientific guidance to other command staff, help assess risks posed by pathogens or other factors in a crisis and ensure that information given to other health care personnel and the public is accurate.
The HE could also contribute to the institution’s policies on surveillance of infectious disease threats, the guidance suggests, as well as policies on outbreak measures like patient isolation and the treatment of vulnerable patient populations. In addition, the HE could influence the training of staff on infection prevention and control.
Altogether, the guidance is meant to ensure that health care providers are doing their best to prevent outbreaks and are prepared for the next to occur, the authors said.
“We will always be faced with new and re-emerging pathogens,” co-author Lynn Johnston, MD, a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, said in the news release. “This guidance is part of an ongoing effort to develop tools and strategies to prevent and manage contagious diseases to ensure patient and public safety.” – by Joe Green
Disclosures: Banach reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the guidance document for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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