Health department communications with infection control professionals across the spectrum of healthcare

ISSUE: Control of outbreaks of communicable diseases requires timely exchange of accurate information between infection control professionals (ICPs) and state and local public health officials (PHs). Yet anecdotal evidence suggests that opportunities to enhance ICP-PH communications exist. PROJECT: The Center for Clinical Epidemiology of the State Health Department in Maryland collaborated with the Greater Baltimore APIC chapter to survey needs and capacities of healthcare facilities. A survey form was sent to all acute and specialty hospitals (A&SHs) and all long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Maryland. Sixteen survey questions addressed communications resources, practices, knowledge, and expectations. RESULTS: Survey responses highlighted the difference between communications resources and expectations as experienced by ICPs at A&SHs and by ICPs at LTCFs. For example, nearly all (96–98%) of A&SH ICPs have access to the Internet and to e-mail at work, but only 79% of LTCF ICPs have Internet access and only 63% have e-mail access at work. In comments about emergency communications with public health updates, A&SH ICP respondents favored using e-mails for future public health alerts, in contrast to LTCF ICP respondents, who favored fax transmissions. Public health alerts to all healthcare facilities during the anthrax attacks in 2001 were rated as valuable by more than 95% of responding ICPs who recalled receiving them. In responses about outbreak reporting, both A&SH and LTCF ICPs indicated a very high rate of notifying public health agencies about outbreaks (96% and 97%, respectively) although relatively fewer A&SH ICPs reported that their institution had a written outbreak reporting policy in comparison with LTCF ICPs (86% versus 94%). Comments also revealed that LTCF ICPs are more aware than A&SH ICPS of Maryland regulations requiring outbreak reporting to public health (76% versus 45%). Finally, ICPs across the spectrum of healthcare mentioned the need for basic and specialized IC educational presentations, for guidance documents about outbreak control, and for availability of consultations on IC issues. LESSONS LEARNED: The survey revealed several significant differences in communications resources and expectations between the various parts of the healthcare spectrum and public health agencies.