Utilization of the Multi-Pathogen Approach in an Online Program for Prehospital Responders in High Consequence Infectious Diseases

Abstract

Introduction:

The prehospital disaster and emergency medical services community stands on the front-line in the response to events such as novel influenza, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, and other high consequence diseases such as the Ebola Virus Disease.

Aim:

To address provider and community safety, we developed an online educational program utilizing a Multi-Pathogen Approach to infectious disease personal protective equipment (PPE) deployment by prehospital providers. Such vigilance starts with syndromic recognition and quickly transcends to include operational issues, clinical interventions, and public health integration.

Methods:

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Maryland, USA), Department of Emergency Health Services partnered with the Maryland State Department of Health (USA), to develop an online educational curriculum. The curriculum was developed through an expert panel consensus group including prehospital providers and is hybrid in design and includes awareness level training and procedural guidance.

Results:

Currently deployed online, this educational content demonstrating the use of the Multi-Pathogen Approach is accessible open-access via YouTube worldwide on computers, tablets, and smartphones. This curriculum is also accessible for continuing medical education to over 50,000 prehospital, hospital, and clinic personnel throughout Maryland and the National Capital Region of the United States. The curriculum consists of twelve modules of didactic and live videotaped demonstrations.

Discussion:

The development of the Multi-Pathogen Approach for the deployment of PPE and the use of online education modules has given prehospital providers an easily accessible open-access tool for high consequence disease management. The development of educational efforts such as these can help ensure better patient care and prehospital EMS system readiness.