Resources:
Released in August 2006 by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, these guidelines provide information on the physical and mental health effects of exposure to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster in a single document with an algorithm charting the evaluation and treatment of persons with chronic cough. They provide information to help physicians assess exposures, assist in diagnosis and treatment, provide preventive services, and refer for consultation or specialty care.
The guidelines were written and reviewed in collaboration with WTC medical experts, including representatives from the three
Centers of Excellence. Drafts of the guidelines were shared with labor and community representatives.
The guidelines will be revised periodically to ensure that they reflect the latest clinical findings and results of epidemiological research. Pediatric guidelines were released in July 2009.
What You Can Do:
Ask your patients about their exposure to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster when performing routine patient medical or psychological evaluations, even for those who live outside of the New York City area. Thousands of workers and volunteers rushed to the scene in the days and weeks following the terrorist attacks to participate in the rescue and recovery operations. In addition, many commuters and residents of lower Manhattan who may have moved out of New York City following the attacks were exposed.
Refer patients with the symptoms described in the guidelines to one of the three
Centers of Excellence. Patients who live outside of the New York metropolitan area should call 888-702-0630 for referral to local clinics.
Share your clinical knowledge and experience evaluating and treating patients with WTC-related physical health problems with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Call or e-mail Jim Cone at 212-442-2402 or
jcone@health.nyc.gov.
Report the death of any patient with World Trade Center exposure to:
New York State Department of Health
Bureau of Occupational Health
547 River Street, Room 230
Troy, New York 12180
1-866-807-2130 (toll-free in New York State) or 1-518-402-7900
