Towards Early Detection: Expanding Screening Protocols for HCIDs

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Effective screening for High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCID) is crucial for public health preparedness.
• Existing screening protocols often focus on specific diseases (e.g., COVID-19), necessitating evaluation of broader frameworks.
• The "identify, isolate, and inform" (III) framework offers a structured approach to HCID management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and adherence rates of a disease-nonspecific HCID screening process.
• To compare adherence to a broader HCID screening protocol against a COVID-19-specific baseline.
• To assess the feasibility of integrating HCID screening into routine emergency department operations.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study was conducted across three emergency departments in Minnesota.
• The study implemented the "identify, isolate, and inform" (III) framework for HCID screening.
• Adherence rates were compared between a COVID-19-specific screening and a broader, disease-nonspecific screening approach.

Main Results:

• Stable adherence rates were observed with the broader, disease-nonspecific HCID screening process.
• The implementation of the III framework demonstrated sustained compliance.
• Integrating HCID protocols into regular hospital operations proved feasible.

Conclusions:

• The "identify, isolate, and inform" (III) framework can be successfully implemented in emergency departments.
• Sustained adherence suggests that broader HCID screening protocols can be integrated into standard hospital workflows.
• This integration can streamline infection prevention processes and enhance preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases.