Hospital infectious disease emergency preparedness: a 2007 survey of infection control professionals.
BACKGROUND
Hospital preparedness for infectious disease emergencies is imperative.


METHODS
A 40-item hospital preparedness survey was administered to Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc, members. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to evaluate the relationship between hospital size and emergency preparedness in relation to various surge capacity measures. Significant findings were followed by Mann-Whitney U post hoc tests.


RESULTS
Most hospitals have an infection control professional on their disaster committee, 24/7 infection control support, a health care worker prioritization plan for vaccine or antivirals, and nonhealth care facility surge beds but lack health care worker, laboratory, linen, and negative-pressure room surge capacity. Many hospitals participated in a disaster exercise recently and are stockpiling N95 respirators and medications. Few are stockpiling ventilators, surgical masks, or patient linens; those that are have <or=7 days worth of supplies. Less than one quarter have cross trained their staff, convened their ethics committee to discuss preparedness issues, or developed policies/procedures for altered standards of care during disasters. Approximately half of all hospitals' plans include staff work incentives. The smallest hospitals (<or=99 beds) are less prepared than larger hospitals on a variety of surge capacity indicators.


CONCLUSIONS
US hospitals lack laboratory, negative-pressure room, health care worker, and medical equipment/supplies surge capacity. Hospitals must continue to address gaps in infectious disease emergency planning.
Rebmann
Terri
T
Institute of Biosecurity, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, St. Louis University, School of Public Health, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA. rebmannt@slu.edu
Wilson
Rita
R
LaPointe
Sue
S
Russell
Barbara
B
Moroz
Dianne
D
D002959:Civil Defense / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D006302:Health Services Research; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States