Since the first appearance of Ebola in West Africa earlier this year, CDC has been working to prepare the American healthcare system for the diagnosis and safe care of a patient with Ebola here on our shores.

We have learned immensely from this first U.S.-diagnosed case and we are implementing additional actions to make sure healthcare workers and hospitals around the nation are as prepared and informed as possible, the White House blog said.

CDC is committed to making sure every U.S. healthcare system and healthcare worker is prepared for Ebola. Key is first noting if the patient exhibits symptoms consistent with Ebola, and if so, working with that patient using the most meticulous infection control procedures, and then taking a careful and complete travel history of each patient who comes in their door.

In the past three months, CDC has been in close communication with hundreds of thousands of clinicians through notices distributed through CDC’s Health Alert Network, the primary means of reaching the nation’s healthcare community — and one they are already very familiar with, the blog said.

The Ebola-related notices have included recommendations for evaluating patients, guidance for the nation’s Emergency Medical Services systems and 911 offices, and guidelines for infection control should a hospital or healthcare facility find themselves caring for a patient with known or suspected Ebola.

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