scholarly journals Meeting case investigation and contact tracing needs during COVID-19 in Alberta: the development and implementation of the Alberta Health Services Pod Partnership Model

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Cyne Johnston ◽  
Keri-Lynn Strain ◽  
Cindy Dribnenki ◽  
Maureen Devolin
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Case Investigation ◽  
Partnership Model ◽  
Alberta Health

scholarly journals The Utility of Interaction Design as a Novel Tool to Improve Hand Hygiene Frequency on a Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Ward

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s411-s411
Author(s):  
Johanna Blaak ◽  
Rachel DiMaio ◽  
Julia Kupis ◽  
Ross Sweetzir ◽  
Conny Betuzzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Interaction Design ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Cell Transplant ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
University Of Calgary ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Alberta Health

Johanna Blaak, W21C, University of Calgary; Rachel DiMaio, University of Calgary; Julia Kupis, University of Calgary; Ross Sweetzir, Cisco Systems; Conny Betuzzi, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Health Services; Corey Dowler, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Health Services; Krista McIntytre, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Health Services; Jaime Kaufman, University of Calgary; Greg Hallihan, University of Calgary; John Conly, Foothills Medical Centre; Joseph Vayalumkal, Alberta Childrens HospitalBackground: Interaction design offers a novel interventional strategy to enhance hand-hygiene compliance (HHC) and reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in the pediatric setting. A quality improvement initiative in collaboration with the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services led to the implementation of a pilot project with sensor-embedded alcohol -based hand rub (ABHR) dispensers at a hematology-oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplant unit at Alberta Children’s Hospital (ACH). Methods: Internet of things (IoT) sensors were installed in ABHR dispensers (n = 3) on the unit. Usage data were transmitted to a local server using an MQTT messaging protocol for 16 weeks. Real-time data visualization was presented on a central display next to the nursing station with 11 unique pediatric themes including dinosaurs, transportation, and Canadian animals. Data were collected with and without visualization, and frequency of use (FoU) was determined for both periods. Qualitative interviews with unit stakeholders (n = 13) were held to determine perceptions of the intervention. Results: During the first 8 weeks of the study period, the mean daily use without visualization was 47 times (SD, 14.5) versus 99 times (SD, 23.9) with visualization. When accounting for novelty, by removing the first week of data, the mean daily use was 92 (SD 19.6). The percentage increase from period 1 to period 2 was 96.6%, accounting for novelty. Qualitative interviews with stakeholders (n = 13) on the unit indicated that the intervention increased their personal awareness of hand hygiene (75%) and acted as a constant reminder to perform hand hygiene for everyone on the unit including nonclinical staff, patients, and family members (92%). Conclusions: These limited data suggest that interaction design may improve HH frequency and show promise as a tool for increased HH awareness and education. Interaction design provides a unique, innovative, and acceptable hand hygiene improvement strategy for staff, patients, and families in the pediatric inpatient setting.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Recommendations for the referral of patients for proton-beam therapy, an Alberta Health Services report: a model for Canada?

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 251 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Patel ◽  
X. Kostaras ◽  
M. Parliament ◽  
I.A. Olivotto ◽  
R. Nordal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Proton Beam ◽  
Proton Beam Therapy ◽  
Alberta Health

scholarly journals COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations averted by case investigation and contact tracing in the United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Rainisch ◽  
Seonghye Jeon ◽  
Danielle Pappas ◽  
Kimberly Spencer ◽  
Leah S Fischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Federally Funded ◽  
Us States ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Case Investigation ◽  
The Us ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
The Impact

Importance: Evidence of the impact of COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing (CICT) programs is lacking. Policymakers need this evidence to assess its value. Objective: Estimate COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations averted nationwide by US states' CICT programs. Design: We combined data from US CICT programs (e.g., proportion of cases interviewed, contacts notified or monitored, and days to case and contact notification) with incidence data to model CICT impacts over 60 days period (November 25, 2020 to January 23, 2021) during the height of the pandemic. We estimated a range of impacts by varying assumed compliance with isolation and quarantine recommendations. Setting: US States and Territories Participants: Fifty-nine state and territorial health departments that received federal funding supporting COVID-19 pandemic response activities were eligible for inclusion. Of these, 22 states and 1 territory reported all measures necessary for the analysis. These 23 jurisdictions covered 42.5% of the US population (140 million persons), spanned all 4 census regions, and reported data that reflected all 59 federally funded CICT programs. Intervention: Public health case investigation and contact tracing Main Outcomes and Measures: Cases and hospitalizations averted; percent of cases averted among cases not prevented by vaccination and other non-pharmaceutical interventions (other NPIs). Results: We estimated 1.11 million cases and 27,231 hospitalizations were averted by CICT programs under a scenario where 80% of interviewed cases and monitored contacts, and 30% of notified contacts fully complied with isolation and quarantine guidance, eliminating their contributions to future transmission. As many as 1.36 million cases and 33,527 hospitalizations could have been prevented if all interviewed cases and monitored contacts had entered into and fully complied with isolation and quarantine guidelines upon being interviewed or notified. Across all scenarios and jurisdictions, CICT averted a median of 21.2% (range: 1.3% - 65.8%) of the cases not prevented by vaccination and other NPIs. Conclusions and Relevance: CICT programs likely had a substantial role in curtailing the pandemic in most jurisdictions during the winter 2020-2021 peak. Differences in impact across jurisdictions indicate an opportunity to further improve CICT effectiveness. These estimates demonstrate the potential benefits from sustaining and improving these programs.

scholarly journals Use of SMS-linked electronic surveys for COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing — Marin County, CA, USA

2021 ◽  
pp. 100170
Author(s):  
Julia M. Janssen ◽  
Alana McGrath ◽  
Ereman Rochelle ◽  
Patrick K. Moonan ◽  
John E. Oeltmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Marin County ◽  
Case Investigation

COVID-19 boosts prospects for health IoT

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Iot Security ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cyber Insurance ◽  
Medical Researchers ◽  
Iot Devices

Significance Health IoT devices are also useful for collecting patient data, which, at scale, could help medical researchers better understand the virus. However, cybersecurity risks are high and rising. Impacts Public-private partnerships will rise as governments contract private firms for digital health services. If contact-tracing apps become ubiquitous, users are likely to take an increased interest in data protection more generally. IoT security will become a regular part of cyber insurance.

scholarly journals PS1 - 183 Recommendations for the Referral of Patients from Proton Beam Therapy, an Alberta Health Services Report: A Model for Canada?

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (S4) ◽  
pp. S11-S11
Author(s):  
S. Patel ◽  
X. Kostaras ◽  
M. Parliament ◽  
I.A. Olivotto ◽  
R. Nordal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Proton Beam ◽  
Proton Therapy ◽  
Proton Beam Therapy ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Draft Report ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Travel Abroad ◽  
Alberta Health

Proton beam therapy (PBT) offers compelling advantages in physical dose distribution compared to photon therapy. There are increasing numbers of gantry-based proton facilities worldwide but no such facilities exist in Canada. To access PBT, Canadian patients must travel abroad for treatment at high cost. In the face of limited access, this report seeks to provide recommendations for the selection of patients most likely to benefit from PBT and suggests an out-of-country referral process. METHODS: A systematic literature search for studies between January 1990 and May 2014 evaluating clinical outcomes after PBT. A draft report was developed through review of evidence, externally reviewed, and approved by the Alberta Health Services Cancer Care Proton Therapy Guidelines steering committee. RESULTS: Proton therapy is often used to treat tumours close to radiosensitive tissues, and children at risk of developing significant late effects of radiation therapy (RT). Local control rates with PBT appear similar to or, in some cases, higher than photon RT in uncontrolled and retrospective studies. Randomized trials comparing equivalent doses of PBT and photon RT are not available. SUMMARY: Referral for PBT is recommended for patients being treated with curative intent, with an expectation for long-term survival, and who are able and willing to travel abroad to a proton facility. Commonly accepted indications for referral include chordoma and chondrosarcoma, intraocular melanoma, and solid tumours in children and adolescents occurring in patients with greatest risk of long-term sequelae. Current data do not provide sufficient evidence to recommend routine referral of patients with most head and neck, breast, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and pelvic cancers including prostate cancer. It is recommended that all referrals be considered by a multidisciplinary team to select appropriate cases.

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