Campbell County Health Continues Ebola Preparations

Gillette, WY—Campbell County Health has established a team of physicians, infection prevention specialists, clinical staff and administration to prepare for the care of a potential Ebola patient. The physician leaders include Dr. Roberta Moro, Board Certified in Infectious Disease and Medical Director of Infection Prevention; Dr. Robert Neuwirth, Director of the Hospitalist Program and Board Certified in Internal Medicine; Dr. Peter Fort, Board Certified in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine and Critical Care Medical Director; and Dr. Tim Bohlender, Board Certified in Family Practice and Medical Director of the Walk-in Clinic.

"We care for patients with contagious diseases at Campbell County Health, and have had an active infection prevention program in place for many years. The safety of our employees, patients and community is our number one priority," says Dr. Moro. "Our local experts are working with state and national officials to prepare for a patient with Ebola, should that happen."

As Medical Director of Infection Prevention, Dr. Moro receives continuous updates on treatment protocols from experts at containment hospitals, the Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"An Ebola response plan is now being finalized that includes pre-hospital care, ambulatory clinic care, inpatient care, patient transfer, personal protective equipment, post-exposure monitoring and staff training and education," says Deb Tonn, Vice President, Patient Care Services. "CCH has produced an in-house training video demonstrating our procedures for putting on and taking off (donning and doffing) personal protective equipment."

Other items of note:

• CCH has identified a location within the facility as an isolation unit if needed.
• As a recipient of hospital preparedness grants from the Wyoming Department of Health, CCH has supplies and personal protective equipment on hand to deal with contagious diseases.
• A hands on training schedule is being developed for staff in key departments who may be caring for an Ebola patient.

"If we had a patient who tested positive for Ebola, it would be our goal to transfer that patient to a specialized care facility as soon as possible. However, we will be as prepared as we can be to care for a patient with Ebola if transfer is delayed or not possible," says Dr. Fort.

For more information about the Ebola Virus, please visit the CDC web page: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/.

Media Contact
Karen Clarke
Manager Community Relations
Phone: 307-688-1581
Email: karen.clarke@ccmh.net