October 2024

Washington State Department of Health TB Program Attends the TB Education & Training Network (ETN) and Program Evaluation Network (PEN) Conference

Kelsey Hewson (left) and Justina Novak (right) presenting a poster on Enhanced Data Quality in Tuberculosis Contact Identification: A Program Evaluation Project in Washington State. 

Veda Ting presenting TB human resource development in Washington State. 

Staff Celebration The DOH TB Program extends heartfelt congratulations to our lead epidemiologist, Jen Hubber, on her recent marriage! Pictured here are Trey, Jen, and their dog Pacha.

ASTHO: Partnering to Increase Access to Tuberculosis Medications

Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases like TB become compromised when the appropriate medications are unavailable or unaffordable. Partnerships to address these challenges are essential. This blog provides insights into those critical partnerships and identifies specific partnerships for health agency leadership and public health program staff to consider. This partnership is between ASTHO (Association of State & Territorial Health Officials) and NTCA (National TB Coalition of America).

Information for Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs)

Video Directly Observed Therapy (VDOT) Transition to the New SureAdhere Patient Mobile App

The older 'SureAdhere V2' app will be retired on November 2nd. Please note that patients will not receive direct notification regarding this change. Therefore, it's important for staff to assist patients in transitioning to the new app.   Ensure all videos in the SureAdhere V2 app are uploaded to the SureAdhere website portal. Uninstall (or delete) the old V2 application from the patient’s device, and download the new ‘SureAdhere by Dimagi’ app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Patients can then log in using their existing SureAdhere credentials.    Read more on the TB Partners SharePoint.

Nebulizer Starter Kits This is a reminder that the DOH TB Program has obtained several starter kits for LHJs to use with patients with TB.   Each starter kit contains: 1 nebulizer compressor 1 box of 60 count 4 ml 7% Sodium Chloride inhalation solution 15 disposable tubes & mouthpieces.   Limit order to one kit per LHJ via the Nebulizer Order Form. See TB Partners SharePoint for other applicable conditions.

CDC Rifampin 300 mg Available As of September 15th, you can order Rifampin 300 mg from the former CDC National Stockpile. Your LHJ can use this for patients with active disease or latent TB infection. Please order the quantity you estimate your LHJ will need. Do not purchase additional Rifampin 300 mg until this supply is exhausted

Remember to record that this supply is from the CDC and not purchased through the 340B or MMCAP discount programs in your medication tracking log. The shipping sheet from the pharmacy will also indicate the source. The expiration for this supply is 4/30/2025. The order form can be found on this SharePoint page. If you have any questions please reach out to tbservices@doh.wa.gov.

*New* TB Partners SharePoint Resources

Community Provider Latent TB Toolkit​​​​​​​: Includes resources for LHJ Health Officers and TB nursing staff to share with local health care professionals who provide latent TB screening, testing and treatment.   Arriver Letter and Child Arriver Letter Templates: Scroll down to row 9 in the EDN/Class B Resource table. LHJs can modify these example templates and use them as an optional method to contact Class B arrivers.

For Microsoft documents hosted on the SharePoint, save the document to your computer first before making edits by going to File → Save as → Download a Copy. Email tbservices@doh.wa.gov with any questions or concerns or to request access to the SharePoint.

Upcoming Events and Education Opportunities

Innovations in Tuberculosis (TB) Webinar Series

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB monthly webinar series offers healthcare professionals the latest insights in tuberculosis (TB).

• October 25, 2024: Large Language Models Use in Tuberculosis (TB)

October 21, 2024 | Understanding Carville and Hansen’s (Mycobacterium leprae) disease treatment in the U.S. through historical fiction

Join the Seattle TB Research Advancement Center (SEATRAC) and distinguished author Wendy Chin-Tanner who will present an illuminating look into Hansen's Disease followed by a conversation with UW's Dr. Jason Simmons about Chin-Tanner's book, King of the Armadillos. Register here.

October 24, 2024 | Shining a Light on Tuberculosis at the End of Life

This Curry International TB Center webinar is intended for public health nurses and other healthcare personnel who are involved in providing TB care at the end of life. Register here.

October 28, 2024 | Post TB: From Evidence to Action

This Curry International TB Center webinar will provide an overview of what happens to people after they complete TB treatment, with an emphasis on the morbidity and mortality they may face. This session will also discuss potential strategies to help support people post-treatment. Register here.

November 6, 2024 | From Red to Black: Transforming Public Health Finances and Programming Through Strategic Billing

This Curry International TB Center webinar is intended for public health agency personnel and other healthcare workers who process billing and will provide an overview of how and what it takes to develop a billing program at a public health agency. Register here.

November 12, 2024 | Asking the Tough Questions: RVCT and Sensitive Demographic Data

This Curry International TB Center webinar is intended for all public health personnel and healthcare providers who are responsible for collecting demographic data. Register here.

December 11, 2024 | Achieving Treatment Completion for Drug-Susceptible TB

This Curry International TB Center will cover the fundamentals of how to determine whether adequate treatment completion has been achieved for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB, and strategies for addressing potential barriers to treatment adherence. Register here.

Tuberculosis Civil Surgeon Webinar Series

This Mayo Clinic Center for TB webinar series provides civil surgeons with knowledge and skills in the management of tuberculosis screening, testing, and treatment for individuals who are seeking admission into the United States.

• December 12, 2024: Reporting in eMedical for Civil Surgeons - Livestream

Washington's TB Project ECHO

On Tuesdays 12:30-1:30 pm PT, join our lunch-time virtual discussion about real TB cases with your peers. This free interactive event is guided by a panel of local TB experts. Click here for more information about this local project and our partners who make this ongoing event possible.

SEATRAC Seminar Series

SEATRAC hosts and promotes seminars, one Friday session per month from 12 - 1 PM, focused on TB basic and clinical sciences by local trainees', local and visiting faculty, and special guests.

2024 ECHO Colorado Newcomer Health Series

In partnership with ECHO Colorado, the Minnesota Center of Excellence hosts a monthly training on newcomer health on the last Tuesday of each month at 8:00 AM, PT. This series is designed to increase medical providers' knowledge of the resettlement and health issues of newcomers, including refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) populations. More information here.

Video Recordings and Education Opportunities

CITC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units will not be offered for these trainings. Access here.

Rutgers TB Institute Webinar Archives
CE units are not available for these archives. Access here.

SNTC Archived Webinars
CME/CE units are not offered for these trainings. Access here.

SNTC Online Courses
CME units are offered for these trainings. Access here.

Mayo Clinic Center for TB Courses
CME/CE units are offered for these trainings. Access here. Enter "Public Health" into Specialty to filter through TB courses.

CDC: TB 101 for Health Care Workers
CE units expire on 11/6/2025 and are available at no cost. Access here.

TB ECHO Recorded Archives
Missed a TB ECHO^® session? TB ECHO^® has didactic presentations available for viewing on YouTube. Handouts related to the presentation are included where appropriate. Watch recorded TB ECHO®.

Tools and Resources

Minnesota's Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health

• Access helpful tools, trainings, and updates for newcomers and refugee health here.

CDC

• CDC Learning Connection.
• CDC TRAIN is a comprehensive catalog of free public health training opportunities from the Public Health Foundation. For TB-related trainings, click here.
• FindTBResources.cdc.gov - TB educational materials for patients and providers.
• Visit Everyday Words for Public Health Communication to find plain language alternatives for public health jargon.
• TB Personal Stories patient videos to help raise awareness about TB in the US.
• we are TB offers comprehensive peer support for current TB patients and TB clinics, including weekly live support group sessions.
• Subscribe to the CDC's quarterly newsletter, TB Notes!

DOH Refugee Health Program

• Afghan Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources (scroll down for TB resources).
• Ukrainian Health Resources - Fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other health resources to support new arrivals from Ukraine (scroll down for TB resources).

Southeastern National TB Center

• Individualized Country Guides

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