Region 3 emerging special pathogen treatment center at the johns hopkins hospital (JH biocontainment unit) - the recipient, the johns hopkins hospital, supports this 5-year project to maintain and…

Region 3 emerging special pathogen treatment center at the johns hopkins hospital (JH biocontainment unit) - the recipient, the johns hopkins hospital, supports this 5-year project to maintain and expand the capabilities of the regional emerging special treatment center (resptc) network. The goal of this project is to enhance the existing capabilities of the johns hopkins biocontainment unit (JH BCU), which has served as the HHS region 3 resptc since 2015. The JH BCU has helped to define standards for provider safety, patient care, training, infection prevention, waste handling, and emergency management in the context of special pathogens. During covid-19, the JH BCU was instrumental in preparing HHS region 3 to respond, was among the first teams to provide direct patient care, trained hundreds of providers in infection prevention practices, and conducted clinical research on countermeasures, prediction modeling, pathobiology, and healthcare disparities. The approach is to partner with region 3 health departments and healthcare facilities to improve special pathogens preparedness. The objectives are: 1) to serve as a regional leader in special pathogens care and coordination; 2) to build capacity to accelerate special pathogens research; 3) to maintain a diverse workforce that can provide equitable, high-quality special pathogens care across region 3; 4) to provide special pathogens education and training for regional partners. The expected outcomes are 1) a region 3 that is better prepared for a special pathogen event; 2) enhanced coordination between aspr, netec and the resptcs on a national special pathogen system (nsps); 3) expanded research capabilities for special pathogens. The products from this project are: 1) educational materials; 2) onsite trainings for region 3 healthcare facilities; 3) academic publications on special pathogens preparedness, education, training, and countermeasures.