Design and Implementation of a COVID-19 Case Investigation Program: An Academic-Public Health Partnership, Arizona,...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Systems Management

Background:

• Arizona experienced a significant surge in COVID-19 cases from May to July 2020.
• Public health departments faced staffing shortages during the pandemic.
• Innovative external partnerships were sought to address these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the creation and implementation of a virtual call center for COVID-19 case investigations.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a university-student partnership in augmenting public health response.
• To identify key design factors for university-led public health initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Collaboration between Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Arizona State University Student Outbreak Response Team (SORT).
• Development of a virtual call center for remote case investigations.
• Recruitment and training of 218 case investigators.
• Implementation of process improvements to enhance timeliness and address disparities.

Main Results:

• SORT completed over 5,000 case patient interviews and closed 10,000 cases between June 29 and November 8, 2020.
• A robust infrastructure for remote investigations provided surge capacity.
• Process improvements were developed to mitigate disparities in case investigation timeliness.

Conclusions:

• University-driven, multidisciplinary teams in partnership with public health agencies can effectively support the public health workforce.
• A well-designed program with remote capabilities and trained personnel is crucial for managing high case volumes.
• Essential design factors include case management workflows, volunteer training, secure technology, and data tracking.