The performance-level model of hospital decontamination preparedness.

OBJECTIVE

Describe a multilevel model of decontamination capacity for hospitals.

DESIGN

Descriptive model.

SETTING

Acute care hospitals with decontamination responsibilities.

PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: None.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): None.

RESULTS

This multilevel model of defining decontamination capacity would allow more realistic assessment of current capacity, allow for fluctuating service levels depending on time of day, incorporate realistic ramp-up and ramp-down of decontamination services, allow for a defined fall-back decontamination model should decontamination processes fail, allow hospitals to define long-term decontamination service level goals, and allow better understanding of when and why to focus on low-risk/low-resource patients rather than high-risk/high-resource patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This multiple-level model would allow for more realistic and effective hospital-based decontamination service models and should become part of the national decontamination paradigm.