Volume 23, Number 6—June 2017
Dispatch
Sustainability of High-Level Isolation Capabilities among US Ebola Treatment Centers
Table 1
Activation of HLIUs and management of PUIs, United States*
Variable | Facilities, no./total no. (%) |
---|---|
Activation of HLIU | |
HLIU can be activated 24/7 throughout the year† | 32/33 (97) |
Standing protocol exists to contact team members 24/7 | 31/33 (94) |
Involve local/state public health officials in managing public concerns |
32/33 (97) |
PUIs | |
Plan to provide care for PUIs and persons with confirmed cases | 32/33 (97) |
Staff used to care for PUI | |
Use only HLIU staff to care for a PUI | 28/32 (88) |
Use other staff before disease is confirmed | 4/32 (13) |
Placement of PUI | |
Place PUI exclusively in the HLIU while being assessed | 14/32 (44) |
Place PUI in either HLIU or hospital ED | 12/32 (38) |
Place PUI in ED until confirmed diagnosis | 4/32 (13) |
Other‡ | 2/32 (6) |
*ED, emergency department; HLIU, high-level isolation unit; PUI, patient under investigation.
†Average time necessary to activate HLIU after notification of pending patient transfer is 4.58 h (median 4 h, range 1.24 h).
‡One facility sends a mobile response team to a PUI’s home for evaluation, and another plans to use a mobile treatment unit (i.e., tent) for PUI placement.