[An Experience Promoting the Interdisciplinary Care Model for Dengue Fever]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Emergency departments (EDs) are critical during major health events.
• Epidemic outbreaks cause ED overcrowding, increasing wait times and staff burden.
• The 2015 dengue fever outbreak in southern Taiwan posed significant challenges to healthcare staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the response to a major dengue fever outbreak.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary care model in managing epidemic challenges.
• To provide a reference for future epidemic management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Implemented an interdisciplinary care model by integrating resources from various hospital departments.
• Focused on enhancing group cohesiveness among the medical team.
• Prioritized patient-centered care delivery during the outbreak.

Main Results:

• Successfully coped with the dengue fever outbreak.
• Increased group cohesiveness within the medical team.
• Effectively provided patient-centered care despite the challenges.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary care model can effectively manage major epidemic outbreaks.
• Enhanced team cohesion is crucial for coping with healthcare crises.
• This model serves as a valuable reference for healthcare professionals managing future epidemics.