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Innovative Interstate Academic-Public Health Agency Collaborations for Case Investigations and Outbreak Surge
Michelle R Torok1, Anne E Massey1, Vi Peralta1
1Michelle R. Torok, PhD, is an Epidemiologist, and Elaine Scallan Walter, PhD, MA, is a Professor, Department of Epidemiology, and Director, Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center; both at the Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, CO. Rachel H. Jervis, MPH, is Program Manager, Foodborne, Enteric, Waterborne and Wastewater Diseases, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Glendale, CO. Michelle R. Torok is also an Epidemiologist, and Elaine Scallan Walter and Rachel H. Jervis are Co-Directors; all at the Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, Aurora, CO. Anne E. Massey, MPH, is a Doctoral Candidate, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA. Vi Peralta, MPH, is an Epidemiologist, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA. Brianna Loeck, MPH, is an Enteric Surveillance Epidemiologist, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE. Matthew Peterson, MS, is a Surveillance Epidemiologist, Wyoming Department of Health, Cheyenne, WY. Daniel Neises, MPH, is a Senior Epidemiologist, and Mary Ella Vajnar is a Medical Investigator; both at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Topeka, KS. Janet G. Baseman, PhD, MPH, is a Professor and Acting Chair, Department of Epidemiology; Adjunct Professor, Health Systems and Population Health; and Co-Director, Washington Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA. Nicole C. Marshall, MPH, is a Research Scientist/Engineer 3, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA. Beth Melius, RN, MN, MPH, is an Epidemiologist, Foodborne and Enteric Disease, and Co-Director, Washington Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence, Washington State Department of Health, Tumwater, WA. Ann Shen, MPH, RN, BSN, is a Manager, Foodborne and Enterics Program, Public Health-Seattle & King County, Seattle, WA.
Abstract:
Student interview teams provided essential surge capacity for the conduct of routine enteric disease surveillance and outbreak activities during the COVID-19 pandemic response, for states with that resource available. This case study describes how student interview teams based in Colorado and Washington supported enteric disease interviewing for public health agencies in Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, and California, and demonstrates the feasibility and value of interstate student interview team work to provide enteric and other communicable disease surge capacity. In collaboration with their respective state health agencies, the Colorado School of Public Health Enteric Disease Interview Team (EDIT) and the University of Washington Student Epidemic Action Leaders (SEAL) team amended scopes of work and procedures for hiring and onboarding, training, work management and engagement, communication, and evaluation to offer enteric disease interviewing support to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Wyoming Department of Health, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the California Department of Public Health. EDIT was assigned 467 enteric interviews in Nebraska, 193 in Wyoming, and 33 in Kansas; and the SEAL team was assigned 133 interviews from 26 clusters in California, with response rates of 68%, 79%, 58%, and 53%, respectively. The median time from case assignment to first interview for EDIT interviews was less than or equal to 1 day. The completeness of all interviews was satisfactory. Enteric disease epidemiologists from host state health departments and students reported valuing the interstate work. Establishing interstate student interview team support requires coordination but is possible and can be effective in providing essential surge capacity for states without a student interview team. It also provides intangible benefits such as strengthening relationships between states and affiliated university programs and providing professional experiences and networking opportunities for students.
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