Using facsimile cascade to assist case searching during a Q fever outbreak

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health Communication

Background:

• Q fever is a zoonotic disease that can cause significant public health concern during outbreaks.
• Effective communication with primary care physicians is crucial for timely disease surveillance and patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a facsimile (fax) cascade notification system in alerting primary care physicians to a local Q fever outbreak.
• To assess the impact of this communication strategy on physician reporting of patient serology samples.

Main Methods:

• A facsimile alert detailing a Q fever outbreak was sent to 360 primary care physicians in September 2002.
• Physician reporting of patient serology samples was compared to a similar period in 2001 before the intervention.

Main Results:

• Physicians submitted significantly more serology samples following the facsimile alert compared to the previous year.
• The facsimile cascade facilitated rapid dissemination of outbreak information to frontline healthcare providers.

Conclusions:

• Facsimile cascade notifications are an effective tool for communicating urgent public health information, such as disease outbreaks, to primary care physicians.
• This method enhances physician engagement in disease surveillance and outbreak investigation efforts.