Meeting case investigation and contact tracing needs during COVID-19 in Alberta: the development and implementation of the Alberta Health Services Pod Partnership Model

SETTING: In Alberta, a small team of specialized public health experts typically complete case investigation and contact tracing. High COVID-19 case counts and a shortage of trained public health professionals required a rapid and significant adaptation of staffing models to meet the population’s needs. INTERVENTION: A tiered, interdisciplinary staffing model, based on those in critical care, was developed, piloted, and implemented in the Alberta Health Services’ Communicable Disease Control department in late 2020 to complete case investigation and contact tracing. The final model included novice, non-regulated professionals divided into pods of four to six investigators, led by an experienced regulated investigator. Team leads oversaw five pods. Communicable disease nurses provided an additional tier of clinical expertise. During the model development, roles and responsibilities of team members were delineated, ratios for supervision were tested, and rapid training was provided. OUTCOMES: The tiered staffing model began in November 2020 with staff members in two pods. At its peak in early May 2021, 72 pods of 502 non-regulated members, 134 regulated investigators, and 4 communicable disease nurses completed 780–973 case investigations daily, or 40–45% of all positive cases in Alberta. In comparison, the same number of regulated investigators working independently in the traditional staffing model without non-regulated pods completed, on average, 249 case investigations daily. IMPLICATIONS: A tiered staffing model can be effective at maximizing the skills of the experienced members of the case investigation team to maintain case investigation and contact tracing activities during a pandemic.