Yes Palo Alto VA does QFT on hire and annually for those at risk. Many papers show that this is the least expensive and most cost-efficient approach. Yes 2-4 visits for busy people is frustrating! Onboarding is a week faster, we run them in-house on standard ELISA machines. The cost to us is $19/test. It saves OH SO MUCH time too.
We have people report straight to the lab with their badge; there’s a standing order that all employees can get a TB test as a walk-in.
Wendy
Wendy Thanassi MA, MD
National Project Lead, Tuberculosis
Office of Patient Care Services, Occupational Health 10P4Z
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Washington, DC 20420
Chief, Occupational Health
3801 Miranda Avenue
Palo Alto VAHCS
Palo Alto, CA 94304
650-493-5000 x 65214
Providing the best Occupational Medicine Care Anywhere—for VHA Employees and Veterans
VHAOccupationalEnviroMedConsult@va.gov or https://vaww.portal.va.gov/sites/ohshg/OEMedicineConsults
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net] On Behalf Of Elena Riker
Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2016 12:05 PM
To: mcoh-eh@mylist.net
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [MCOH-EH] TB screening for high risk facility
We are a “high risk” facility for TB so we do a 2 step TST on hire then one annually. We have about 8000-10000 people who need this per year. Can anyone in a high risk facility tell me how you manage this? Does anyone do all IGRAs? Does anyone do IGRA on hire, then TST annually? We are looking at ways to do our onboarding differently to ensure staff are compliant before starting work. Seems like asking employees to come 4 times for a 2 step TST preplacement is a lot to ask. We are considering making everything due prior to starting, but just one TST required to start, then hope we capture their 2nd TST after they start – seems like this may cause problems….thoughts/ideas appreciated! Elena
Elena Riker, CMA
Clinic Operations Supervisor
Occupational Health - OHSU
riker@ohsu.edu
p: 503 346-0186 | f: 503-494-4457
My office hours are: M-F 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM