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High-throughput Detection Method for Influenza Virus
Published on: February 4, 2012
Pandemic influenza triage in the clinical setting
Steven J Rottman1, Kimberley I Shoaf, Jennifer Schlesinger
1University of California Los Angeles Center for Public Health and Disasters, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. rottman@ucla.edu
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
|May 15, 2010
Summary
Clinical staff readiness for pandemic influenza is low, with limited preparation for patient triage and stratified decision-making. Guidelines are needed to define care standards during infectious disease emergencies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Emergency Medicine
- Healthcare Preparedness
Background:
- Extensive federal and local planning exists for influenza pandemics in the US.
- However, the clinical community's capacity to manage a surge of pandemic influenza patients remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the attitudes and expectations of healthcare professionals regarding clinical care during a pandemic.
- Key personnel including emergency physicians, nurses, nursing supervisors, administrators, and infection control staff were surveyed.
Main Methods:
- Structured interviews were conducted with 46 key informants from 34 randomly selected emergency receiving hospitals in Los Angeles County.
- Interviews focused on supplies, resources, triage, quality of care, and decision-making processes.
- Transcripts were coded for key themes using qualitative analytical software.
Main Results:
- Respondents showed limited awareness that a patient influx would necessitate stratified healthcare decision-making.
- A general lack of preparation was identified regarding the ethics and practices of patient triage in a pandemic setting.
Conclusions:
- Development of guidelines is crucial, involving public health, medical societies, and legislative bodies.
- These guidelines should assist clinicians in defining, adopting, and communicating practice standards for mass infectious disease emergencies.
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