Becker's Hospital Review

59 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY What the US did and didn't learn from past outbreaks By Gabrielle Mason T he Spanish flu, swine flu and Ebola outbreaks all drastically altered the U.S. healthcare system. Below is a brief breakdown of the affect the three outbreaks had on the U.S.: 1918: Spanish flu U.S. case estimate: 25.8 million (25 percent of 1918 U.S. population) U.S. death estimate: 675,000 e Spanish flu, considered the deadliest pandemic in modern history, had an es- timated fatality rate of at least 10 percent, according to Live Science. e flu strain is thought to have infected a third of the world's population and caused at least 50 million deaths. Many physicians didn't know how to prevent the illness, and many Americans lost confidence in the U.S. healthcare system, according to PBS Wisconsin. It wasn't until 1997 that scientists began to identify the gene structure of the virus, along with its source. 2009: Swine flu U.S. cases: 60.8 million U.S. deaths: 12,469 e swine flu, also known as influenza A (H1N1)pdm09, was declared a pandemic June 11, 2009, and officially ended Aug. 10, 2010, according to the CDC. Globally, an estimated 151,700 to 575,400 people died from swine flu in the first year. e outbreak forced hospitals to dust off emergency preparedness plans and re- configure inpatient surge plans. Amid the outbreak, the nation focused on sci- entific breakthroughs while failing to ensure adequate infection control and hy- giene practices that could have slowed the pandemic, according to a 2011 report in Emerging Health reats. Furthermore, vaccines were produced only aer the epidemic ended, proving of little efficacy, while mass population strategies mis- used scarce medical resources. 2014: Ebola U.S. cases: 11 U.S. deaths: 2 e 2014-16 Ebola outbreak originating in West Africa had an average fatality rate of around 50 percent, according to the World Health Organization. Worldwide, there were 28,652 suspected or confirmed cases amid the outbreak, along with 11,325 related deaths, the CDC reported. In the U.S., the CDC designated 35 hospitals as Ebola treatment centers to provide more intensive care in isolation, according to Time. e negative pressure units used when treating patients with Ebola are now being used amid the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2014, 71 percent of U.S. hospital administrators said their facilities were unpre- pared to receive Ebola patients, according to a 2018 report from HHS' Office of Inspector General. By 2017, only 14 percent of hospital administrators said their facilities were unprepared for patients with an emerging infectious disease. Hospi- tals had updated emergency plans, purchased additional supplies and conducted EID-focused drills. President Barack Obama's White House established the National Security Council Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense aer the outbreak, accord- ing to e Washington Post. e committee used government resources to prepare for an upcoming disease outbreak and prevent it from becoming an epidemic or pandemic. e committee was disbanded in May 2018 under the Trump adminis- tration, though biological experts do remain in the White House. n Press Ganey aims to reduce harm by 80% By Mackenzie Bean P ress Ganey seeks to decrease patient and care- giver harm by 80 percent over the next five years through an initiative called Safety 2025: Accelerate to Zero. The initiative, announced March 11, was designed to remove financial and educational barriers preventing healthcare organizations from improving patient safety. Press Ganey's healthcare clients who commit to this goal will have free access to the company's technology and data services to analyze safety events, along with various learning forums and online safety resources. n A look back at swine flu: 8 facts about the world's last pandemic in 2009 By Mackenzie Bean T he World Health Organization on March 11 de- clared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, the first such declaration in 11 years. Here's a look back on the 2009 swine flu pandemic with eight key facts from the CDC: 1. The flu strain responsible for the outbreak — influen- za A (H1N1)pdm09 — was first detected in America in April 2009. 2. The strain represented a unique combination of in- fluenza viruses never seen in humans or animals. 3. The virus spread globally, primarily affecting chil- dren and adults under 65 who lacked immunity to H1N1. 4. The WHO declared the swine flu outbreak a pan- demic on June 11, 2009. 5. Between April 12, 2009, and April 10, 2010, the CDC estimates swine flu caused 60.8 million illnesses, 273,304 hospitalizations and 12,469 deaths in the U.S. 6. On Oct. 5, 2009, the U.S. began administering a newly approved H1N1 vaccine to select Americans, with vaccination coverage expanding nationwide by that December. 7. WHO declared an end to the pandemic Aug. 10, 2010. 8. Globally, an estimated 151,700 to 575,400 people died from swine flu in the first year of the pandemic. n

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