Identifying Gaps in Frontline Healthcare Facility High-Consequence Infectious Disease Preparedness

Hospital infection disease preparedness gaps were brought to the forefront during the 2013-2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak. The ability of US hospitals to rapidly identify, isolate, and manage patients with potentially high-consequence pathogens is a critical component to health security. Since the EVD cases in Dallas, Texas, the continuity of hospital preparedness has been questionable. While certain hospitals were designated as EVD treatment facilities, the readiness of most American hospitals remains unknown. A gap analysis of a hospital system in Phoenix, Arizona, underscores the challenges of maintaining infectious disease preparedness in the existing US healthcare system.