Frequently Asked Questions about UPMC's Medical Preparedness
Answers from the department of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
1. How will UPMC know if a bioterrorism attack is occurring?
UPMC has become a national leader in the recognition of unusual medical occurrences such as bioterrorism. The University of Pittsburgh has developed and UPMC has deployed the Real-time Outbreak Detection System (RODS). RODS detects unusual patterns of disease in the community that an individual doctor may not see. UPMC has extensively trained its clinical and laboratory personnel on the recognition of unusual diseases considered to be bioterrorist threats.2. If a bioterrorism attack with smallpox should occur in western Pennsylvania, will there be a designated hospital for those victims?
It depends on the volume of patients. If a small number of smallpox cases occur, it is entirely possible that a single hospital would be designated the receiver so that other hospitals could continue normal operations.If a larger number of smallpox cases occur, each hospital will care for their own segment. If very large numbers of cases occur, care may be rendered in alternative environments like homes, National Disaster Medical System facilities, the veterans hospitals or other facilities.
3. What is UPMC’s smallpox vaccination plan?
The UPMC smallpox vaccination plan will conform to county, state and federal public health guidelines on the subject. As President Bush has stated, this will be a voluntary and non-discriminatory process that will target individuals with the maximum risk of contracting smallpox through patient exposures in the workplace. UPMC will select individuals on a voluntary basis, educate those volunteers on workplace safety practices and the risks of the vaccine. UPMC will provide a workplace surveillance program to ensure the safety of the workplace for our staff and our patients.4. What is UPMC’s smallpox outbreak plan?
UPMC will conform to county, state and federal public health guidelines with regard to management of a contagious disease emergency. UPMC has increased the capacity of its hospitals to quarantine and/or isolate contagious disease in anticipation of this potential risk. UPMC has delivered educational programs to its staff and faculty to recognize, protect, decontaminate and treat potential victims of smallpox.5. I am concerned that I will become infected with smallpox if I share the same hospital as smallpox patients. What precautions will UPMC take in this scenario?
UPMC has created additional quarantine and isolation procedures to ensure safety of non-exposed patients and staff should a smallpox outbreak occur. UPMC has trained its staff and faculty on the diagnosis and management of contagious infectious disease to ensure safe medical treatment facilities for patients and staff of UPMC hospitals.6. If my physician gets the smallpox vaccine, will he or she still treat me or will I be seen by someone else?
UPMC will follow the recommendations of the county, state and federal public health officials on workplace safety during the vaccination period. By using workplace surveillance, barrier dressings and disinfection strategies, we expect no inadvertent exposures of patients in UPMC facilities. From 1906 through1972, the CDC reported only 12 incidents of doctor-to-patient transmission of the smallpox vaccination.7. If a nerve gas attack should occur in western Pennsylvania, how will patients and emergency first responders be decontaminated?
A chemical weapon such as nerve gas will be decontaminated first by emergency response personnel and again by receiving hospitals. A great deal of time and effort has been placed on this issue. The UPMC Presbyterian’s ambulatory decontamination system is considered a model for the nation, with the capability to decontaminate hundreds of patients per hour.8. What kind of bioterrorism training have UPMC physicians and support staff received?
UPMC physicians and staff have received OSHA-certified training to the Awareness and Provider levels. This training program certifies the individual in recognition and treatment of chemical, radiological and biological terrorism agents. UPMC physicians have received additional training in the form of the RaPiD-T Program. The RaPiD-T Program gives detailed medical treatment information for chemical, radiological, explosive and biological agents at the physician level. RaPiD-T is accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.9. What federal and local agencies will UPMC be working with in the event of a bioterrorism attack?
UPMC participates actively in the Pennsylvania Region 13 Medical Metropolitan Response System (PA-13 MMRS), chaired by the Allegheny County Health Department. The PA-13 MMRS allows information, equipment and training to be shared among the 13 counties of southwestern Pennsylvania. State and federal assets will be coordinated through this organization should a state of emergency occur. UPMC will comply with state and federal guidelines and directions should a bioterrorism event occur.10. If an attack happens somewhere else in the United States, will UPMC hospitals be required to give up beds for those victims?
UPMC is a member and participant in the National Disaster Medical Service (NDMS). As a member, we are obligated to receive casualties from other regions in case of a national emergency. The federal public health officials and the president will make the decision to transport smallpox patients out, or resources into, a stricken region.11. If I need to be seen in the ER for a condition not related to an ongoing bioterrorism attack, which hospital should I go to?
All ambulance traffic receives centralized medical direction and will be directed to the appropriate hospital to care for any medical emergency. This is currently the case in any more common emergency like car accidents and weather emergencies. “Walk-in” emergency visits will be routed as directed per each UPMC hospital’s protocol.12. What will happen to those UPMC employees who are reservists and called into action? Will there be enough medical staff to fill those jobs?
UPMC employees who are also military reservists will serve at the direction of the Department of Defense (DOD). Under DOD regulations, military service obligations have precedence over civilian employment. There is no anticipated shortfall in capacity should a large component of UPMC reservists be called to duty.
