Policies on Reporting Cases of Communicable Diseases

1. All cases of immediately notifiable diseases, syndromes and events seen at the OPD or admitted at the hospital should be reported immediately to MHO, PHO/PESU, CHD/RESU and NEC, with 24 hours of detection by the fastest means possible.

The immediately notifiable diseases, syndromes or events include:
 Acute Flaccid Paralysis
 Adverse Events Following Immunization(AEFI)
 Anthrax
 Human Avian Influenza
 Measles
 Meningococcal Disease
 Neonatal Tetanus
 Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
 Rabies
 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

2. Specific ER Personnel should be assigned to attend, to suspected cases, to minimized closed contact and prevent transmission of disease.

3. Initial report can be verbal using the telephone or written via facsimile or e-mail.

4. Fill-up a hospital case-based reporting form using the standard PIDSR case investigation form which will be forwarded immediately to PESU/RESU/NEC.

5. Communicable diseases admitted for some emergency measures should not be kept longer than necessary in the hospital.

6. Arrangement must be made for their transfer with all the necessary precautions.

Policies and Procedures regarding Telephone Orders

1. When the order is given through telephone, the nurse should call the physician on duty to receive the order. It is the physician on duty who should write on the order sheet.
And let the doctor sign the order immediately when he/she visit the patient.

2. Verbal order through telephone made by the doctor shall be written in patients chart with the date and time of order.