An Automated COVID-19 Exposure Surveillance System for EMS Clinicians

Abstract

Emergency Medical Services clinicians serve on the front lines of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. EMS clinicians are often face unknown and austere circumstances while providing emergency care in a myriad of settings. In an effort to protect EMS clinicians and inform EMS system clinical leaders, the State of Maryland has established an automated COVID-19 post-exposure surveillance system. The system provides encounter notifications to EMS system infection control officers through a linkage between the State’s prehospital patient care reporting system and the state-wide health information exchange (HIE).

Keywords

• emergency medical services, covid-19, occupational surveillance