In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan interviews Dr. Laura Evans, the new executive director of the National Special Pathogen System (NSPS), about her path from critical care leadership at Bellevue to national special pathogen preparedness. Dr. Evans recounts how the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the 2014 Ebola outbreak shaped her focus on protecting healthcare workers while delivering high-quality care, and she describes Bellevue’s teamwork-driven responses, including Hurricane Sandy’s power crisis and evacuation supported by a fuel “bucket brigade.” She outlines NSPS’s goal of a tiered, trauma-like network built to be nimble and adaptable, discusses challenges such as sustaining hospital engagement, expanding Level 3 and 4 participation, and strengthening patient transport capacity, and frames upcoming mass gatherings like the World Cup as opportunities to advance preparedness nationwide. Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at info@netec.org. Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.

Guest

Laura Evans, MD, MSc

Executive Director of the National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) Dr. Evans is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington and the former Medical Director of Critical Care at the University of Washington Medical Center. Her clinical and scholarly interests focus on preparedness for HCIDs and sepsis. Before joining the University of Washington faculty, she was the Medical Director of Critical Care at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where she helped found the Special Pathogens Program. From 2014 to 2019, Dr. Evans served as the inaugural Co-Principal Investigator of NETEC at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.

Host

Jill Morgan, RN

Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA Jill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

Resources

The National Special Pathogen System About the NSPS NETEC Transmission Interrupted Podcast

About NETEC

A Partnership for Preparedness

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center’s mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources. Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems. For more information visit NETEC on the web at www.netec.org.

NETEC Consultation Services

Assess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting. NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert. For more information visit: netec.org/consulting-services.