Colorado Hospitals Establish New Protocols For Handling Ebola Patients
DENVER (CBS4) - The threat of Ebola is changing the way emergency crews, hospitals and clinics do business across the country, and many in Colorado have instituted new protocols for handling a possible Ebola patient.
Hospital visitors might not notice anything different, but hospitals are prepared and doctors are instructing staff to be wary and ask the right questions.
At Kaiser Permanente Colorado, dealing with a possible case of Ebola begins on the phone as nurses carefully quiz callers.
"We're very much emphasizing the importance of communicating from beginning to end," infectious disease Dr. Daniel Mogyoros said.
People with flu like symptoms who've recently been to West Africa are told to stay home.
"We will arrange for the ambulance transport from home to the hospital," Mogyoros said.
Mogyoros says if a suspected Ebola patient does show up, it's isolation. Gloves and masks with plastic shields are a must for staff and areas would be disinfected. Those who made contact would be monitored.
"We're going to be very vigilant about making sure those people are followed up," Mogyoros said.
The sick person would be rushed by ambulance to a hospital.
At Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette the patient would not stop in emergency, but go directly to isolation.
"We would put them in a room with a mask on them and separate them and everyone who came in with them," Registered Nurse Jeanne Schuppe said.
A special cart is ready.
"I've got disposable thermometers, disposable stethoscopes," Schuppe said.
Any staff who entered the room would sign in, suit up and then leave the gown in the room.
"I think we're prepared and I'm sure every other hospital in the state and in the country is doing the same thing," Mogyoros said.
Health care workers are confident but cautious. The hope is the increased vigilance will detect any Ebola case and keep it from spreading.
