Linking public health agencies and hospitals for improved emergency preparedness: North Carolina's public health epidemiologist program
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Markiewicz, Milissa, et al. Linking Public Health Agencies and Hospitals for Improved Emergency Preparedness: North Carolina's Public Health Epidemiologist Program. BioMed Central Ltd, 2012. https://doi.org/10.17615/ps5b-nk75APA
Markiewicz, M., Bevc, C., Hegle, J., Horney, J., Davies, M., & Mac Donald, P. (2012). Linking public health agencies and hospitals for improved emergency preparedness: North Carolina's public health epidemiologist program. BioMed Central Ltd. https://doi.org/10.17615/ps5b-nk75Chicago
Markiewicz, Milissa, Christine A Bevc, Jennifer Hegle, Jennifer Horney, Megan Davies, and Pia Dm Mac Donald. 2012. Linking Public Health Agencies and Hospitals for Improved Emergency Preparedness: North Carolina's Public Health Epidemiologist Program. BioMed Central Ltd. https://doi.org/10.17615/ps5b-nk75- Creator
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Markiewicz, Milissa
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
- Other Affiliation: North Carolina Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center
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Bevc, Christine A
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
- Other Affiliation: North Carolina Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center
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Hegle, Jennifer
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health
- Other Affiliation: North Carolina Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center
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Horney, Jennifer
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Epidemiology
- Other Affiliation: North Carolina Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center
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Davies, Megan
- Other Affiliation: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
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MacDonald, Pia DM
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Epidemiology
- Other Affiliation: North Carolina Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center
- Abstract
- Background In 2003, 11 public health epidemiologists were placed in North Carolina's largest hospitals to enhance communication between public health agencies and healthcare systems for improved emergency preparedness. We describe the specific services public health epidemiologists provide to local health departments, the North Carolina Division of Public Health, and the hospitals in which they are based, and assess the value of these services to stakeholders. Methods We surveyed and/or interviewed public health epidemiologists, communicable disease nurses based at local health departments, North Carolina Division of Public Health staff, and public health epidemiologists' hospital supervisors to 1) elicit the services provided by public health epidemiologists in daily practice and during emergencies and 2) examine the value of these services. Interviews were transcribed and imported into ATLAS.ti for coding and analysis. Descriptive analyses were performed on quantitative survey data. Results Public health epidemiologists conduct syndromic surveillance of community-acquired infections and potential bioterrorism events, assist local health departments and the North Carolina Division of Public Health with public health investigations, educate clinicians on diseases of public health importance, and enhance communication between hospitals and public health agencies. Stakeholders place on a high value on the unique services provided by public health epidemiologists. Conclusions Public health epidemiologists effectively link public health agencies and hospitals to enhance syndromic surveillance, communicable disease management, and public health emergency preparedness and response. This comprehensive description of the program and its value to stakeholders, both in routine daily practice and in responding to a major public health emergency, can inform other states that may wish to establish a similar program as part of their larger public health emergency preparedness and response system.
- Date of publication
- February 23, 2012
- DOI
- Identifier
- Resource type
- Article
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Rights holder
- Milissa Markiewicz et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
- License
- Journal title
- BMC Public Health
- Journal volume
- 12
- Journal issue
- 1
- Page start
- 141
- Language
- English
- Is the article or chapter peer-reviewed?
- Yes
- ISSN
- 1471-2458
- Bibliographic citation
- BMC Public Health. 2012 Feb 23;12(1):141
- Publisher
- BioMed Central Ltd
- Access right
- Open Access
- Date uploaded
- August 23, 2012
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