Application of Epidemiology – A Case Study

William Ward Jr.
Dr. Kimberly Taylor
HAS 535 Managerial Epidemiology

July 28, 2014

Table of Contents

Introduction ……………………………………………….. 3-4

Good Health Hospital Records …………………………….. 4-5

Questions ……………………………………………………5-7

Target Audience ……………………………………………. 7-9

Safety Protocol ……………………………………………... 9-10

Introduction
Patients are more likely to acquire nosocomial infections while being treated in the hospital for other illnesses. Inweregbu, Dave, and Pittard (2005) state nosocomial infections can be defined as those occurring within 48 hours of hospital admission, 3 days of discharge or 30 days of an operation. Patients are also exposed to other infections while staying in the hospitals, such as E. coli.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacteria usually found in warm blooded organisms such as human and animal intestines. It is known that there are large groups of E. coli, but most strains are harmless. Some other strains of the bacteria may cause diarrhea, respiratory illness and food poisoning. The strain O157:H7 can cause kidney failure or severe anemia. E. coli exposure can be in the form of food, water, uncooked meat and raw vegetables. Some common symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, severe stomach cramps, stomach tenderness and diarrhea containing blood.
E. coli is commonly found in meat served in hospital and other health care facilities cafeterias. In a (2014) article of Science Daily, It’s reported that more than 80 percent of raw chicken used in hospitals in food for patients and staff was contaminated with a form of antibiotic resistant bacteria called extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli. While sufficient preparation eliminated the presence of bacteria, poultry meat delivered to hospitals kitchens remains a potential point of entry for these dangerous bacteria into hospitals. The study was published in the April issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
Good Health Hospital Records
Located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, Good Health Hospital recently experienced an outbreak of E. coli in Ward 10, which is located on the second floor. As a social science researcher on my first case, I decided to call the local Public Health Department and the CDC to inform them of the infection within the hospital and to devise a plan of action. It was determined through review of the records with chief administrator, Joe Wellborn, that there are six reported cases of E. coli. It may be that one patient male, African-America, age 65 may have been symptomatic and the other patient, age 12, female Asian was discharged for a stomach virus. The exposed four patients of Ward 10 was moved into quantine to prevent any other patients from being exposed to the E. coli outbreak. The patients, who race is African-American and range in age from 15 to 42, were infected at different times. By them being infected at different times, it makes it difficult to pinpoint which food or foods triggered the outbreak. E. coli affects everyone differently, and the most vulnerable groups are children and the elderly. These two groups are at higher risk for having severe complications. Good Health Hospital is not the only hospital who had an outbreak of E. coli in the region. It was reported that all the hospitals in the region is supplied food by the same food supplier. With this information, Mr. Wellborn informed the team that Good Health Hospital is researching and seeking alternative and new food service providers to deliver products to the facility.
Questions for the Administrator of Good Health Hospital
In discussing the E. coli outbreak with Mr. Wellborn, the team wanted to know his method for handling the potential litigation due to the outbreak. The following six questions was asked to Mr. Wellborn:
1. What are the hospitals infection control