I. All outpatients must be screened for an EID at the site of first contact with outpatient clinics and services that provide outpatient diagnostic tests and patient care.
A. Each outpatient clinic and service that provides outpatient care must designate a person to screen patients for a possible EID on arrival.
B. At the point of screening, the person who performs this task will have a supply of tissues, surgical and N-95 masks, thermometers and bottles of alcohol hand gel.
II. Screening will be done using a standardized set of screening questions.
A. The screener will wear a fit tested N-95 mask and gloves.
B. The patient’s temperature will be taken.
C. Patients who are afebrile and have no respiratory symptoms will be admitted to the clinic for their scheduled appointment.
D. Patients who have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms and a history of exposure or possible exposure to a patient with a suspected EID or have traveled to a country with reported EID activity will have a surgical mask placed on them and an alcohol hand gel applied to their hands. The patient will be placed in an area as far removed as possible from other persons.
E. The screener will apply an alcohol hand gel to his or her hands.
III. Disposition of a patient who screens positive for suspected EID.
A. Transportation will be notified that a patient with a suspected EID needs to be transported or escorted to the Emergency Department (ED). The patient will be transported to the ED following procedures in Policy 3.3 Transportation of Patients with an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) or a Possible EID.
B. The Department of Healthcare Epidemiology will be notified that a patient with a suspected EID is being escorted to the ED.
C. The ED will be notified that a patient with a suspected EID is being transported or escorted to the ED.
IV. Each clinic will have a Daily Sign In Sheet for healthcare workers (HCWs) who have protected or unprotected contact with an EID patient. (See Policy 3.9 Post Exposure Monitoring of UTMB Employees for an Emerging Infectious Disease [EID]).
A. The Daily Sign In Sheet will be signed by HCWs in the clinic who may have had close contact with a suspected EID case (usually the screener but may include other close contacts).
B. The HCW from Transportation will also sign up on the Daily Sign In Sheet in the clinic from which they transported or escorted the patient to the ED.
V. When the HCW who is screening for EID prepares to discontinue screening, he/she should wash their hands with an antimicrobial soap and water or apply an alcohol hand gel (See Policy 3.2 Isolation of Patients with an Emerging Infectious Disease [EID] or a Possible EID). The N-95 mask should then be carefully removed so as to avoid contamination of the hands by secretions on the front of the mask. The mask should be placed in a trash receptacle. The HCW should then wash their hands with an antimicrobial soap and water or apply an alcohol hand gel.
VI. Daily Sign In Sheets should be forwarded to the Department of Healthcare Epidemiology every day that there is at least one signature on the sheet.
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