The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Tuberculosis Controllers Association released updated recommendations for TB screening, testing, and treatment of healthcare personnel on May 17, 2019. C4UHC asks that you share this valuable update from the CDC with your associated hospitals and facilities so that the TB credentialing requirement is aligned to CDC guidance in all appropriate locations.
We all appreciate the tremendous risk and workload COVID-19 has placed on healthcare personnel. Given the new TB guidance, fulfilling an annual TB requirement is one item that should be taken off their plates. Links to CDC references are included below.
Here is an excerpt from the guideline:
“In the absence of known exposure or evidence of ongoing TB transmission, U.S. health care personnel (as identified in the 2005 Tuberculosis Screening Guidelines) without LTBI should not undergo routine serial TB screening or testing at any interval after baseline (e.g., annually). Health care facilities might consider using serial TB screening of certain groups who might be at increased occupational risk for TB exposure (e.g., pulmonologists or respiratory therapists) or in certain settings if transmission has occurred in the past (e.g., emergency departments). Such determinations should be individualized on the basis of factors that might include the number of patients with infectious pulmonary TB who are examined in these areas, whether delays in initiating airborne isolation occurred, or whether prior annual testing has revealed ongoing transmission.”
We appreciate your relationship with the hospital and their decision-making process on updating credentials. All of us want to achieve compliance. Aligning to the latest CDC TB guidance is a way forward.
Thank you in advance for sharing the CDC guidelines for effective compliance.
For more information:
