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Pandemic Response Officers: Integration Between Medical, Public Health, and Higher Education Systems to Expedite
Anne C Jones1, Genevive R Meredith, Donna Leong
1Cornell Health (Drs Jones and Clarke), Master of Public Health Program (Drs Meredith and Jamal and Ms Leong), Institutional Research and Planning (Dr Clarkberg), Division of Human Resources (Mr Bishop and Ms Opperman), Environmental Health and Safety (Dr Cantone), and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine (Koretzky), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; Tompkins County Health Department, Ithaca, New York (Mss Buckwalter and Espey and Mr Kruppa); and Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York (Dr Koretzky). Dr Jones is now at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Sewell, New Jersey.
Journal of Public Health Management and Practice : JPHMP
|February 2, 2023
Summary
Cornell University
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Higher Education Administration
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for robust public health infrastructure and a well-staffed workforce.
- Higher education institutions, as concentrated populations, faced significant challenges in managing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
- System integration between medical, public health, and social entities is crucial for community health benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the establishment and function of the Pandemic Response Officer (PRO) program at Cornell University.
- To evaluate the impact of the PRO program on managing COVID-19 cases within a university setting and supporting local public health efforts.
- To demonstrate the benefits of collaboration between academic institutions and public health agencies.
Main Methods:
- Formation of the Pandemic Response Officer (PRO) program with staff and students in January 2021.
- Development of a HIPAA-compliant electronic record system for case management, including notification, investigation, isolation, and quarantine support.
- Iterative expansion of the PRO team from 8 to 25 individuals to manage increasing caseloads and shared responsibilities.
Main Results:
- Managed 773 employee and 2943 student COVID-19 cases between January 1 and December 31, 2021.
- During the Omicron surge, PROs provided an estimated 2797 hours of support to the public health department, equivalent to over 10 full-time professionals.
- The PRO program effectively processed cases and contacts, especially during peak transmission periods.
Conclusions:
- The integration of university and public health efforts through the PRO program minimized SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
- The program alleviated strain on public health systems by augmenting the public health workforce.
- Collaborative interventions between universities and public health agencies are effective in managing infectious disease outbreaks.
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