Guidance Document for Development of Protocols for Management of Patients Presenting to Hospital Emergency Departments and Clinics with Communicable Diseases of Urgent Public Health Concern

The Guidance Document was prepared to assist hospitals in developing and updating their protocols for communicable disease screening and isolation. The materials are specific to New York City's hospital system, although any health care system could use them to develop internal screening and triage protocols and minimize transmission of infectious agents. The materials contain specific information on this topic, and are directed toward a clinical audience. The documents address communicable disease transmission in general, so care must be taken to assure that information is relevant to pandemic influenza.