[October 29, 2014]

Statement from Stanford Health Care Regarding Dr. Colin Bucks

We are pleased to announce that Colin Bucks, MD, clinical assistant professor of surgery in the division of emergency medicine, has returned home asymptomatic and in good health after volunteering his services and skills to treat Ebola patients in Liberia. Dr. Bucks served under the International Medical Corps, not in an official Stanford capacity. We are incredibly proud of Dr. Bucks for his selfless act. At Stanford Health Care, we describe our vision as healing humanity, through science and compassion, one patient at a time and Dr. Bucks is the embodiment of that lofty ideal.

Now that Dr. Bucks is home, out of an abundance of caution he will iolate himself for 21 days following his last known contact with an infected patient. During that time, Dr. Bucks will reside alone and will be monitored by state and county health department personnel. In addition, per Stanford Medicine policy, Dr. Bucks may not return to the workplace for 21 days. He will be on paid leave during that time. Infectious disease experts and agencies consider 21 days to be the maximum length of the incubation period after exposure to the virus during which symptoms of Ebola virus disease would appear.

As part of our mission, Stanford Medicine continually prepares to respond to emergencies and public health concerns large and small through planning, training and drills. We have a dedicated multidisciplinary team of experts prepared to manage cases of infectious disease, including Ebola. Stanford's Emerging Infectious Disease response plan meets or exceeds the newly revised CDC standards and Ebola-related processes established by the California Department of Public Health. Our team is also in regular communication with colleagues at the U.S. hospitals that have treated patients with Ebola, as well as with physicians on the ground in West Africa, to learn about the absolute latest in best practices.

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