Created by CDC microbiologist Cynthia Goldsmith, this colorized transmission electron micrograph (TEM) revealed some of the ultrastructural morphology displayed by an Ebola virus virion. Photo provided by the CDC.

Emory is one of three hospitals in the country selected to be on the front lines in the fight against the Ebola virus.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has selected Emory, along with the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Neb., and Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City to be National Ebola Training and Education Centers.

Emory received Ebola patients last year after a massive outbreak of the virus in West Africa infected healthcare workers.

According to HHS, Emory and the other hospitals will receive $12 million over the next five years to train healthcare providers and facilities on managing Ebola and “other emerging infectious diseases.”

“The National Ebola Training and Education Center contributes to our nation’s health security by developing and teaching evidence-based practices of experienced providers and health care institutions in caring for patients with Ebola and other serious infectious diseases,” Nicole Lurie, HHS’ assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said in a press release.”While this training starts with Ebola, it also will help the health care community deal with other serious infectious diseases in the future.”

In a separate press release, Emory said the program’s objectives are to:

– Develop metrics to measure facility and health care worker readiness to care for Ebola patients;

– Conduct assessments of regional and state Ebola Treatment Centers;

– Create and maintain educational materials related to care of patients with possible Ebola and other special pathogens;

– Support public health departments and health care facilities through training and technical assistance.

“The goal of the NETEC will be to educate and improve processes to safely identify, isolate, transport and treat patients with emerging threats such as Ebola virus disease, while minimizing risks to health care workers,” Bruce Ribner, medical director of Emory University Hospital’s Serious Communicable Disease Unit and principal investigator of the National Ebola Training and Education Center, said in a press release. “Based on the knowledge we have gained from caring for patients with Ebola virus disease, Emory, Nebraska and Bellevue will develop and teach best practices to other health care workers who could be faced with caring for similar patients in the future.”

The university says it has been working with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the CDC since December to train healthcare workers. Training has been provided to 460 workers from 86 health care systems, including 37 designated Ebola treatment centers, Emory says. The training covers “all aspects of infection control and patient care for individuals with Ebola.”