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Background:
- There is a great deal of fear, media attention, and misinformation concerning Ebola.
- As an emergency physician, you must be able to identify and appropriately manage individuals with possible Ebola presenting to your hospital.
- ACEP's Ebola Expert Panel worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help create a clear and concise algorithm in case someone presents with possible Ebola.
ED Algorithm For Patients with Possible Ebola
- Identify:
- Do they have the right travel history (step 1)?
- Do they have the right signs and symptoms (step 2)?
If yes to both identification questions, then:
- Isolate (step 3):
- Place patient in private room or separate enclosed area
- Private bathroom or covered, bedside commode
- Only essential personnel should evaluate patient and provide care
- Level of personal protective equipment should be determined
- Based upon patient’s clinical status (signs and symptoms)
- Place patient in private room or separate enclosed area
- Inform (step 4)
- Immediately notify the hospital infection control program and other appropriate staff
- Immediately notify the health department
- Further evaluation and management will depend on the patient’s clinical status and other potential diagnoses (step 5).
Bottom line:
Whether the patient has Ebola or not, a well-developed response is necessary for patient management and public health preparedness. The fear of the disease is much more widespread and impactful than the disease itself.
See the full algorithm, with more details at: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/ed-algorithm-management-patients-possible-ebola.pdf