Ebola Preparations at Marshall

The Ebola virus, recently having been prominent in the media, has prompted questions in the community regarding Marshall’s readiness for treating potentially contagious patients.

Marshall is prepared and is continuing to refine processes in the event that the Ebola virus emerges in our region. We have been following the CDC recommendations for awareness and preparation and our facility is equipped with isolation rooms and protective equipment to handle any manner of infectious disease.

Quarantine Procedures

Our Infection Prevention and Control Department has taken extra steps to ensure that all physicians on our staff understand the symptoms and what to watch for. If we were to admit a patient with possible Ebola, we would immediately place the patient in appropriate isolation, notify our county public health department for additional guidance and begin the recommended testing. Our staff has been trained on how to apply stringent isolation procedures and we would implement the expanded CDC-recommended steps such as increased patient room entry control.

We ask any patients who have traveled to East Africa in the past 30 days and are running a fever, to call 911 from home. If patients decide to come to the Emergency Department, these patients are asked to take precautionary measures to isolate themselves from other patients and alerting hospital staff immediately.

Keeping Patients & the Public Safe

Ebola is a disease that transmits via blood and body fluids. Marshall's Standard, Contact, and Droplet isolation procedures, facility and equipment are capable of handling the appropriate isolation for this disease. We are hopeful its spread will not reach our region, but we are ready if it does and want to reassure the public of their safety and our preparation.

For more information on the disease, please visit the Centers for Disease Control Website at: www.cdc.gov.
Click here to learn more about What you need to Know about Ebola.