URBANA – Patients going to Carle for their appointments can expect a new question to be asked during check-in.
Under a new guideline by the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each patient checking in will now be asked if he or she has traveled outside of the United States or to Florida in the past 21 days.
Officials say this new protocol is partially due to the recent Zika threat.
“Zika, which is now present in south Florida, threatens more travelers today than Ebola. So, per CDC recommendations, Carle is updating its patient check-in to screen for travel and symptoms when patients come in,” Chief Medical Quality Officer, Robert Healy, MD, explains.
If a patient has traveled, the person will be asked to list any specific symptoms they have noticed. Those who meet criteria may be moved to a private room or given a mask to wear. The information will then go on the patient’s record, alerting the provider to help make sure the patient gets appropriate care.
However, Carle officials do note that Zika and Ebola are not the only concerns.
“This new procedure is not just to check for Zika and Ebola; we can change the question depending on disease threats, including adding new travel-related diseases that aren’t even on our radar right now. It will also help identify potential infectious outbreaks,” Dr. Healy adds.
Patients checking in at a Carle kiosk will also be asked their travel history.
Further information about travel health topics can be found here.
