Using facsimile cascade to assist case searching during a Q fever outbreak

Abstract

In September 2002, facsimiles were sent to 360 primary-care physicians alerting them to a local outbreak of Q fever. The physicians subsequently submitted serology samples on significantly more patients than in a previously comparable period in 2001. Facsimile cascade assists effective communication with primary-care physicians in an outbreak investigation.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Communications with Health Care Providers: A Literature Review

“…Eleven articles (covering 9 systems) included a description of the evaluation used with the system. Type of evaluations included comparative [ 19 ], interviewing [ 20 ], surveying [ 21 , 22 ], retrospective [ 23 , 24 ], formative [ 25 ], and an assessment following a simulation exercise [ 26 ]. One article reported a causal relationship could be "inferred" between the dissemination of health advisories and HCP reporting and testing [ 27 ] and two reported receiving feedback but did not detail method [ 28 , 29 ].…”

“…During a Q fever outbreak, two public health alert faxes were sent asking physicians to submit serum samples on any patient meeting a clinical case definition of Q fever and an association with the area where the outbreak occurred. By examining laboratory reports, Van Woerden et al (2006) found a statistically significant difference between the number of patients tested for Q fever in the target population after the alerts had been sent as compared to a comparable two-week period one year before [19].…”

“…During a Q fever outbreak, two public health alert faxes were sent asking physicians to submit serum samples on any patient meeting a clinical case definition of Q fever and an association with the area where the outbreak occurred. By examining laboratory reports, Van Woerden et al (2006) found a statistically significant difference between the number of patients tested for Q fever in the target population after the alerts had been sent as compared to a comparable two-week period one year before [ 19 ]. Another study retrospectively examined recommended public health agency actions communicated to HCPs through a pop-up in an electronic health record in comparison with lab orders and treatment guidelines and found that a causal relationship "could be inferred" (although with no detail to document this inference) between the alert and a change in HCP behavior [ 27 ].…”