{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-issues-suggestions-after-response-from-dc-hospitals-on-ebola", "Norton Issues Suggestions After Response From D.C. Hospitals on Ebola Preparedness", "2014-10-30", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today offered some steps District of Columbia hospitals should take to bolster their Ebola preparedness, following a response to a letter Norton sent to D.C. hospitals asking about their Ebola preparedness.\u00a0 Norton said that she was pleased that the D.C. Department of Health had been proactive on Ebola since August and that the preparedness checklist she recommended showed that D.C. hospitals have achieved basic preparedness for Ebola.\u00a0 The response, collected from the hospitals by the D.C. Hospital Association, said that all ten hospitals have basic preparedness procedures and equipment in place.\u00a0 Their reply can be found here.\nThe purpose of Norton\u2019s inquiry to the hospitals was to get further assistance or resources from the federal government, if necessary.\u00a0 Norton said that D.C. hospitals understand that Dulles is one of only five airports where travelers from West Africa can enter the United States.\u00a0 She therefore is sending the following suggestions to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as to the D.C. Hospital Association.\u00a0 Norton asked CDC to elaborate on them and advise hospitals and clinics.\nAll outpatient clinics, not just the emergency departments (ED), should be trained and equipped for Ebola patients.\u00a0 Patients who report symptoms similar to Ebola can be easily identified, as they are often asked if they have been to West Africa recently.\u00a0 Moreover, patients with symptoms should not be in a room with other patients.\nCDC should help health clinics provide staff with a thorough demonstration of treating a patient suspected of having Ebola.\u00a0 Hospital personnel are now given trainings through online modules or in town hall settings where the staff can ask questions of professionals.\u00a0 However, the problem that occurred in Dallas, Texas, for example, was that there were no demonstrations on how to properly suit up and protect yourself from infection when treating a patient with Ebola symptoms.\nMedical nurses and residents have complained to Norton\u2019s office about getting inconsistent, incorrect or insufficient information.\u00a0 Every hospital and clinic should have a preparedness team to provide correct, up-to-date information on treating and preventing Ebola transmission.\nFinally, the CDC should do video conference meetings with clinics across the country to ensure that frontline health care workers, ambulance personnel, and patients are trained in Ebola screening and isolation procedures.\u00a0 Norton noted that millions of Americans get their health care at clinics, not only hospitals.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/norton-issues-suggestions-after-response-from-dc-hospitals-on-ebola"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7345217056572437, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}