As U.S. Ebola scare fades, infection control focus wanes

Hospital officials are trying to ensure that lessons learned don't disappear with Ebola


As the U.S. Ebola scare fades, the focus on infection control efforts is fading too, according to an article on the Columbian website.

Facilities stepped up training and planning for Ebola cases after a man died in Dallas, but as the situation abates, so does the urgency to act, the article said. 

With limited resources, hospitals seek a balance between preparation and overreaction when planning for the possibility of an outbreak, according to hospital and healthcare officials.

Only about 6 percent of hospitals said they were "well-prepared" for an Ebola patient, according to a recent survey.

"The level of activity that's required to be a fully prepared hospital is pretty extraordinary," Dr. Eric Toner, who studies medical preparedness during outbreaks at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Health Security, said in the article. "If there's not a comparable epidemic in another decade or so, a lot of the progress we've made will be lost."

Read the article.

 

 



December 3, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


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