Incident Response Guide (IRG): Special Pathogens

The NETEC Special Pathogen Incident Response Guide (IRG) provides a structured approach for healthcare facilities to respond to special pathogen events, including suspected or confirmed High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCID). It supports hospitals and healthcare coalitions in implementing a coordinated emergency response while ensuring patient and staff safety. This guide includes incident command activation, patient identification and isolation, PPE guidelines, waste management, security measures, and patient transfers. It aligns with CDC, ASPR, NETEC and Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs), and The National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) to ensure best practices in hospital response and recovery. Key response considerations include:

• Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) Activation: Guidance on roles and responsibilities, operational periods, and command structure for managing a special pathogen incident.
• Identify, Isolate, Inform (III) Protocols: Procedures for immediate patient identification, isolation measures, and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Management: Best practices for staff protection, including proper donning and doffing protocols and Just-in-Time (JIT) training.
• Patient Care and Transfer Coordination: Protocols for triage, patient stabilization, and safe transfer to a Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) if necessary.
• Waste Management and Decontamination: Procedures for handling Category A and B waste, cleaning and disinfection, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Communication and Coordination: Processes for maintaining real-time communication with public health authorities, RESPTC as appropriate, local EMS, and regional healthcare coalitions.
• Surge Capacity and Staffing Management: Strategies for managing patient influx, staffing rotations, and ensuring staff health monitoring.
• Behavioral Health Support: Guidance on providing support to patients, families, and healthcare staff during and after an incident.
• Extended Response and System Recovery: Procedures for demobilization, returning to normal operations, and developing an After Action Report (AAR) with corrective actions.

2025-02-18