Preparing the Health System to Respond to Ebola Virus Disease in New York City, 2014.
The world's largest outbreak of Ebola virus disease began in West Africa in 2014. Although few cases were identified in the United States, the possibility of imported cases led US public health systems and health care facilities to focus on preparing the health care system to quickly and safely identify and respond to emerging infectious diseases. In New York City, early, coordinated planning among city and state agencies and the health care delivery system led to a successful response to a single case diagnosed in a returned health care worker. In this article we describe public health and health care system preparedness efforts in New York City to respond to Ebola and conclude that coordinated public health emergency response relies on joint planning and sustained resources for public health emergency response, epidemiology and laboratory capacity, and health care emergency management. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:370-374).
1New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,New York,New York.
Jay K
JK
Varma
3Fire Department of New York,New York,New York.
David J
DJ
Prezant
4NYC Health+Hospitals,New York,New York.
Ross
R
Wilson
1New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,New York,New York.
Celia
C
Quinn
3Fire Department of New York,New York,New York.
Glenn
G
Asaeda
4NYC Health+Hospitals,New York,New York.
Nicholas V
NV
Cagliuso
1New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,New York,New York.
Jennifer L
JL
Rakeman
1New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,New York,New York.
Marisa
M
Raphael
D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology
disaster planning; emergency preparedness; health policy; health services; infectious disease medicine