The Infectious Diseases and Geographical Medicine inpatient consultation services are the busiest in the institution.The variety of infections seen in this large, tertiary medical center is truly amazing and requires the input of sub-specialists from our section. In order to provide services to an even larger number of patients and provide greater continuity of care, a second consultation service, the Immunocompromised Host Service, was established. This service provides expert advice on the management of infections complicating cancer therapy and transplantation, both bone marrow and solid organ. This is a complicated population that often requires a higher intensity of care, as well as close follows up.

Outpatient Clinical Program

Outpatient clinical activities for the section are also growing. In the Infectious Diseases and Geographical Medicine Continuity clinic, patients with acute infections requiring sub-specialty evaluation and treatment can be seen in consultation following referral from another physician at UCH or outside of our system. Patients will be seen within one week of the consultation request. This will include patients who need follow up after discharge from the hospital.

Patients requiring evaluation or longitudinal care include patients with immune deficiencies, either congenital or acquired. Two thirds of the patients seen in the clinic have HIV infection, but patients with a wide variety of conditions receive primary and tertiary care of their infections. Physicians in the clinic are qualified to diagnose and manage these conditions. These patients often require special diagnostic testing, treatment for secondary infections, and preventive therapies to avoid other complications.

Patients with chronic infections are provided longitudinal care with the same ID physician. This includes patients with tuberculosis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, infected prosthetic devices, to name only a few. There is also experience with home IV therapy and other home-based care for these patients.

The Travel Clinic provides an extremely valuable service to clients traveling abroad for business or pleasure. Each patient receives an individualized management plan based on their itinerary and planned activities. Vaccines and prophylactic medications are administered. Patients also receive counseling and educational materials that discuss other ways of avoiding Patients are given the contact information for the Advanced Practice Nurse and the Clinic Director. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help is available for clients who develop travel-associated illness, in the clinic or by phone even if they are still out of the country.

The Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control Program assure that patients and staff are protected against hospital-acquired and occupationally-acquired infections. The Hospital Epidemiologist is not only certified in Infectious Diseases, but also specially trained in Hospital Epidemiology. He also directs an Infection Control Laboratory, which among many other activities, is able to utilize state-of-the-art molecular methods for strain typing in outbreak investigations. The group is responsible for all clinical areas, including the inpatient wards and intensive care units, clinics, and operating rooms. This is a ever increasing responsibility, as new threats to public health such as the possibility of bioterrorism attacks and emerging infectious diseases arise.