Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences
Understanding human filovirus hemorrhagic fever (FHF) clinical manifestations and evaluating treatment strategies require the collection of clinical data in outbreak settings, where clinical documentation has been limited. Currently, no consensus among filovirus outbreak-response organisations guide...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2014-02-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/6/2/927 |
| _version_ | 1819207969225572352 |
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| author | Silja Bühler Paul Roddy Ellen Nolte Matthias Borchert |
| author_facet | Silja Bühler Paul Roddy Ellen Nolte Matthias Borchert |
| author_sort | Silja Bühler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding human filovirus hemorrhagic fever (FHF) clinical manifestations and evaluating treatment strategies require the collection of clinical data in outbreak settings, where clinical documentation has been limited. Currently, no consensus among filovirus outbreak-response organisations guides best practice for clinical documentation and data transfer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health care workers (HCWs) involved in FHF outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, and with HCWs experienced in documenting and transferring data from high-risk areas (isolation wards or biosafety level 4 laboratories). Methods for data documentation and transfer were identified, described in detail and categorised by requirement for electricity and ranked by interviewee preference. Some methods involve removing paperwork and other objects from the filovirus disease ward without disinfection. We believe that if done properly, these methods are reasonably safe for certain settings. However, alternative methods avoiding the removal of objects, or involving the removal of paperwork or objects after non-damaging disinfection, are available. These methods are not only safer, they are also perceived as safer and likely more acceptable to health workers and members of the community. The use of standardised clinical forms is overdue. Experiments with by sunlight disinfection should continue, and non-damaging disinfection of impregnated paper, suitable tablet computers and underwater cameras should be evaluated under field conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T05:31:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-177c0875cbe94193bc1d1adc9cfb3451 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T05:31:56Z |
| publishDate | 2014-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-177c0875cbe94193bc1d1adc9cfb34512022-12-21T17:58:27ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152014-02-016292793710.3390/v6020927v6020927Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and PreferencesSilja Bühler0Paul Roddy1Ellen Nolte2Matthias Borchert3London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UKMédecins Sans Frontières – Spain, Nou de la Rambla, 26, Barcelona 08001, SpainLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UKLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UKUnderstanding human filovirus hemorrhagic fever (FHF) clinical manifestations and evaluating treatment strategies require the collection of clinical data in outbreak settings, where clinical documentation has been limited. Currently, no consensus among filovirus outbreak-response organisations guides best practice for clinical documentation and data transfer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health care workers (HCWs) involved in FHF outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa, and with HCWs experienced in documenting and transferring data from high-risk areas (isolation wards or biosafety level 4 laboratories). Methods for data documentation and transfer were identified, described in detail and categorised by requirement for electricity and ranked by interviewee preference. Some methods involve removing paperwork and other objects from the filovirus disease ward without disinfection. We believe that if done properly, these methods are reasonably safe for certain settings. However, alternative methods avoiding the removal of objects, or involving the removal of paperwork or objects after non-damaging disinfection, are available. These methods are not only safer, they are also perceived as safer and likely more acceptable to health workers and members of the community. The use of standardised clinical forms is overdue. Experiments with by sunlight disinfection should continue, and non-damaging disinfection of impregnated paper, suitable tablet computers and underwater cameras should be evaluated under field conditions.http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/6/2/927viral hemorrhagic feverEbola hemorrhagic feverMarburg hemorrhagic feverEbola virus diseaseMarburg virus diseaseisolation wardsclinical documentationdata transfer |
| spellingShingle | Silja Bühler Paul Roddy Ellen Nolte Matthias Borchert Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences Viruses viral hemorrhagic fever Ebola hemorrhagic fever Marburg hemorrhagic fever Ebola virus disease Marburg virus disease isolation wards clinical documentation data transfer |
| title | Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences |
| title_full | Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences |
| title_short | Clinical Documentation and Data Transfer from Ebola and Marburg Virus Disease Wards in Outbreak Settings: Health Care Workers’ Experiences and Preferences |
| title_sort | clinical documentation and data transfer from ebola and marburg virus disease wards in outbreak settings health care workers experiences and preferences |
| topic | viral hemorrhagic fever Ebola hemorrhagic fever Marburg hemorrhagic fever Ebola virus disease Marburg virus disease isolation wards clinical documentation data transfer |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/6/2/927 |
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