Measures to Assure that Ebola Guidelines Are Correctly Applied

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assure the application, in our primary care health district, of the World Health Organisation and Spanish Ebola virus disease (EVD) guidelines, and to identify and resolve gaps, in order to protect professionals from the risks associated with attending to patients with Ebola. MATERIALS AND METHODS A checklist was drawn up and an audit procedure of the structural, functional and operational conditions was designed for managing a self-presenting patient suspected with EVD in general practice. This audit was applied twice (before and after assessment) in 9 health centres of a health district in Spain. The checklist was structured according to 9 categories (51 elements in total). This tool was designed to avoid errors in the management of EVD patients that are considered very serious in view of their potential consequences. RESULTS Of the 51 elements on the checklist, 7-26 (14-51%) required direct intervention to rectify deficits in the first audit. The following elements requiring improvement were identified: the incorporation of memory aids to ensure the correct application of the EVD protocol, defining what information should be provided to the patient and (where applicable) anyone accompanying them as well as incorporating advice on how to deal with any individuals with whom they might have come into contact. A second audit assured the adequacy of the proposed solutions. CONCLUSION In this study, the tool achieved the successful application of EVD protocol, assuring that primary care centres were able to handle an Ebola suspect patient safely.