The Serious Communicable Diseases Unit (SCDU) at Emory University is the Health and Human Services-designated Region IV Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC). As a RESPTC, the SCDU is committed to educating frontline health care workers and emergency responders in Region IV on special pathogen preparedness and response.

Choose from 2 tracks: Frontline Hospitals or EMS Biosafety Transport

Frontline Hospitals

The hospital-based course was developed for medical and nursing staff, emergency management, education and training leaders, and infection prevention staff. Enhance your readiness to safely identify and isolate a patient with a suspected or confirmed special pathogen and inform appropriate officials while providing necessary patient care.  

EMS Biosafety Transport

This course is designed for EMS providers of all types, but any health care personnel who are at risk of exposure to patients with a high-consequence infectious disease are welcome to attend. Course participants will learn how to identify high-consequence infectious diseases; what infection prevention and control precautions are needed to care for suspect patients; how to reduce risk through environmental controls; and more.  

Distinguish among various high consequence infectious diseases (Smallpox, MERS, Ebola Virus Disease, Novel Influenza) regarding their clinical characteristics and transmission mechanisms for the purpose of PPE selection and enhancing worker safety.

Explain standard- and transmission-based infection control precautions.

Describe environmental controls, work practices and safety equipment that will decrease the likelihood of inadvertent exposure to infectious bodily fluids.

Describe waste management and post-mission health monitoring.

Demonstrate donning and doffing of PPE under the direct supervision of faculty that have experience with transport and management of patients with high infectious diseases.

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