APICʹs Role in Rapid Dissemination of Urgent Information to Frontline Healthcare Workers: The Bioterrorism Information Dissemination Collaborative Project

ISSUE: A mechanism for rapid dissemination of critical information is necessary for the healthcare community to take effective control of an outbreak caused by a bioterrorist event or an emerging infectious disease. In the event of an outbreak, infection control professionals need timely and accurate information for educating frontline healthcare providers in their facilities and communities. PROJECT: The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is participating in a research project with seven other professional organizations to determine the most effective ways to disseminate “just in case” information and urgent “just in time” information to members through their organizational communication methods. APIC has a unique chapter network that can provide a system for rapidly transferring information. Using email as its primary communication tool, APIC conducted a series of online surveys followed by focus groups to identify methods that APIC chapters have used successfully to disseminate “just in case” and “just in time” information. RESULTS: Preliminary findings show that only 62% of APIC members have provided an email address to APIC and many others have opted out of receiving blast emails. Therefore, a blast email will reach less than 62% of the membership. LESSONS LEARNED: Because it appears that many members do not use email for communicating with the national APIC office, APIC must identify and implement additional methods for communicating urgent “just in time” information to its members.