Streamlining Preparedness: A Practical Pathway to Special Pathogens Management

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health Preparedness

Background:

• Managing high consequence infectious diseases requires specialized planning and operational protocols.
• Human and organizational factors significantly impact healthcare system readiness for special pathogens.
• Existing protocols may have gaps when applied in real-world scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a checklist for healthcare facility preparedness for special pathogens.
• To minimize the gap between protocol design and real-world implementation.
• To provide a replicable framework for enhancing special pathogens preparedness.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a full-scale Ebola Virus Disease exercise at NYC Health + Hospitals.
• Analyzed outcomes and identified key considerations for preparedness.
• Developed a checklist based on exercise findings.

Main Results:

• The exercise highlighted critical factors influencing readiness for special pathogens.
• A checklist was created to address practical implementation challenges.
• The checklist aims to improve compliance with Joint Commission requirements.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare facilities require a structured approach to prepare for special pathogens.
• The developed checklist offers a practical tool for enhancing preparedness.
• This framework is adaptable for other healthcare systems facing similar challenges.