Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Threat to Occupational Health in the U.S. and Canada

Economics and ''ease of use'' are trumping good science in the decision making process. For example, protocols do not demand the most stringent precautions that would protect for healthcare workers from unknown factors of transmission in the case of rapidly emerging diseases. Respiratory protection, negative pressure isolation rooms, training of healthcare workers, personal protective equipment, ventilation designs, triage of surge patients, funding issues are all areas of concern that remain controversial in current occupational health protection models.

Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Threat to Occupational Health in the US and Canada offers a critical review of existing plans and infrastructures for emerging diseases and the response capabilities of healthcare delivery systems to protect the occupational health and offers many solutions. The authors perform failure analysis that cannot be found in other texts, and offer positive solutions, strategies, and tactics for strengthening the hospital and the public health response to potentially catastrophic health crises. This book contains invaluable information for managers, professionals, and policy makers in infectious disease organizations, public health organizations, as well as occupational health organizations.