2. MEMORAMDUM
Date :April
11, 2003
To :
ALL Concerned
From :
Assistant Hospital Director
Subject: :
Manila Doctors Hospital Protocol for the Containment of SARS
- The MDH will be part of the national
response to control the possible threat of Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS)..
- Venues for information dissemination
regarding the global threat of SARS will be made available to all medical,
paramedical and auxillary MDH personnel through a SARS forum on April 9,
2003, 9:00 at Tangco Hall (we also like to welcome the public), posters
and a special issue of the MDH Gazette.
- Screening for SARS at the MDH will
begin from all entry points for patients, with security guards directing
patient with fever and cough to the SARS information Center.
- The SARS Information Center will be
manned by the Interns assigned at ER. A triage Screening Questionnaire for
each patient and masks will be available in this area.
- Person assessed to be possible SARS
Suspects will be directed to the SARS Information Center. A surgical mask
will be given to the patient. A resident will take charge of performing a
more comprehensive assessment of case.
- If patient fulfills the criteria for
SARS Suspect, the case should be reported by the resident to the following
by telephone:
Office
of the Medical director (local 3640, 8159)
Infection
Control Committee (local 2851, Dr. Velmonte: 5249858 or 9230650)
Department
of health (7417048/7431937) and the
Administration
(local 8120)
7. If
needed, a chest X-ray (portable) will be
done at the SARS Information Center. If Chest X-ray is suggestive of
pneumonia, patient will be labeled as Probable SARS.
- SARS suspect and Probable SARS patient
shall be referred for transfer to either the Research Institute for
Tropical Medicine or the San Lazaro Hospital. Conduction to referral
hospital will be the responsibility of MDH transport. Self Conduction
should be not allowed. A patient who refuses must be asked to sign a
waiver.
- In the event that the patient I is to
ill for transfer or referral center are full, patient will be admitted to
11F, utilizing the rooms 1110 and 1111.
- Watchers (Bantays0 and visitors will
not be allowed in and around the 11F area.
- The SARS Information Center should
screen close contacts will managed as above. Asymptomatic contacts will be
advised self quarantine (stay in the house) for fourteen (14) days.
- The hospital will provide for
protective devices, such as N95 masks, surgical mask, gloves, goggles, and
disposable gowns, for MDH personnel who will be working in the above
areas.
- Proper infection control measures such
as handwashing, use of protective barriers and disinfection of exposed
personal materials/clothing should be the responsibility of every health
care worker who will be potentially at risk to exposure to SARS.
- For any questions or request for
lectures, please direct calls to the Infection Control Committee or the
office of the Medical Director.
For
strict compliance.
RITA
WANNIGER
Assistant
Hospital Director