Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems and 9-1-1 public safety answering points (PSAPs) play an important role in the pre-hospital identification, management and transport of suspected or confirmed patients with Ebola. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers resources to help support EMS and PSAP providers in the fight against Ebola:
• Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for Management of Patients Who Present with Possible Ebola Virus Disease in the United States. This updated guidance further clarifies the minimum personal protective equipment (PPE) levels for EMS personnel and first responders.
• EMS and Ebola: Field Experience with Transporting Patients. In this Clinical Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) call, EMS personnel from Emory University Hospital and the University of Nebraska Medical Center described their field experiences transporting patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola. Unique planning considerations for EMS are presented. The COCA call and materials are archived at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2014/callinfo_121514.asp
Other helpful resources for EMS and PSAP providers include:
• CDC information for U.S. Healthcare Settings
• CDC’s Ebola website
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.