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Using Timely Survey-Based Information Networks to Collect Data on Best Practices for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response: Illustrative Case From the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Ebola Surveys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2016

Mahshid Abir ,
Melinda Moore ,
Margaret Chamberlin ,
Kristi L. Koenig ,
Jon Mark Hirshon ,
Cynthia Singh ,
Sandra Schneider  and
Stephen Cantrill
Mahshid Abir*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and RAND Corporation
Melinda Moore
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Arlington, Virginia
Margaret Chamberlin
Affiliation:
Pardee RAND Graduate School, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
Kristi L. Koenig
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Center for Disaster Medical Sciences, Irvine, California
Jon Mark Hirshon
Affiliation:
Departments of Emergency Medicine and of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Cynthia Singh
Affiliation:
American College of Emergency Physicians, Irving, Texas
Sandra Schneider
Affiliation:
Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas American College of Emergency Physicians, Dallas, Texas
Stephen Cantrill
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Mahshid Abir, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (e-mail: mahshida@med.umich.edu)
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Abstract

Objective

Using the example of surveys conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) regarding the management of Ebola cases in the United States, we aimed to demonstrate how survey-based information networks can provide timely data to inform best practices in responding to public health emergencies.

Methods

ACEP conducted 3 surveys among its members in October to November 2014 to assess the state of Ebola preparedness in emergency departments. We analyzed the surveys to illustrate the types of information that can be gleaned from such surveys. We analyzed qualitative data through theme extraction and collected quantitative results through cross-tabulations and logistic regression examining associations between outcomes and potential contributing factors.

Results

In the first survey, most respondents perceived their hospital as being reasonably prepared for Ebola. The second survey revealed significant associations between a hospital’s preparedness and its perceived ability to admit Ebola patients. The third survey identified 3 hospital characteristics that were significantly and independently associated with perceived ability to admit Ebola patients: large size, previous Ebola screening experience, and physician- and nurse-led hospital preparedness.

Conclusion

Professional associations can use their member networks to collect timely survey data to inform best practices during and immediately after public health emergencies. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:681–690)

Keywords

emergency carepublic healthhospital preparednesssurveysEbola
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 681 - 690
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

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References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases of Ebola Diagnosed in the United States. CDC website. http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/united-states-imported-case.html. Accessed June 9, 2015.Google Scholar
2. Chamberlin, M, Okunogbe, A, Moore, M, et al, Intra-action report: a dynamic tool for emergency managers and policy makers. RAND Perspectives. PE-147. http://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE147.html. Published January 2015. Accessed June 9, 2015..Google Scholar
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