IU Health is responding to questions about how it's preparing for a possible Ebola Virus Disease case. IU Health released this statement today:
IU Health is responding to questions about how it's preparing for a possible Ebola Virus Disease case. IU Health released this statement today:
First, Indiana University Health has not diagnosed, received or treated a patient with EVD. However, as new cases of Ebola continue to emerge in the United States, we are taking important steps to prepare to protect our patients, visitors, team members and the community at large.
Thus far, many of our steps have focused on the operational requirements of early identification and containment of infectious disease, of treating a patient with EVD and ensuring team members have the training, supplies and support needed to provide high-quality patient care with safety and confidence.
Specifically, IU Health has been:
· Identifying and preparing appropriate isolation areas to safely treat patients
· Implementing extended training for the care team of a patient diagnosed with EVD
· Procuring necessary supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) so that team members are protected as they provide care
· Revising emergency department check-in procedures and implementing primary care screenings for appointment bookings
· Reviewing patient transfer scenarios—be it through EMS, another IU Health partner or an independent hospital referral
· Coordinating with the Indiana State Department of Health, the CDC, the Marion County Health Department, MESH Coalition, Indianapolis EMS and peer hospitals locally and nationally
IU Health has extensive experience treating patients with communicable diseases and is prepared should a patient with Ebola need our care.
We are encouraged by the vigilance and preparation this matter is receiving in our state and the steps an extended team of experts is taking to ensure the best possible care for Hoosiers.
We are committed to sharing timely, transparent and accurate information and will notify you should this situation change.
- Douglas Webb, MD, medical director of Infection Control, Indiana University Health
