Table 2.

Potential solutions for the identified challenges to contact tracing, by RE-AIM dimension.

RE-AIM dimension	Challenges	Potential solutions
Reach	Lack of required outreach data	Collect case phone numbers and initiate linkage to contact tracing at time-of-testing. Identify messaging strategies (e.g., education regarding importance of contact tracing, security of data, and benefits of contact tracing to one's community, etc.,) to increase completion of evaluation.
	Lower outreach success among the elderly	Prioritize outreach calls to those most at risk and tailor engagement strategies to client needs and preferences.
	Unmeasured characteristics of tracers and cases that influence success in contact outreach	Identify characteristics of tracers, tracer-case dyads, and case social networks that influence success in order to improve and standardize training and outreach strategies. Evaluate strategies for engaging cases in linking contacts to the health department without infringing on privacy or promoting stigma (e.g., training cases to notify their contacts of exposure and inform them of incoming calls from the health department).
Implementation	Delays in test reporting and data transfer	Use same-day electronic linkage to (A) share test results from the lab with contact tracing programs and (B) make case and contact assignments to contact tracers.
	Delays between case and contact outreach attempts	Integrate outreach to cases and their household contacts, as is done with household contact investigation for tuberculosis.
Adoption and maintenance	High turnover amongst volunteer contact tracers	Offer financial or educational incentives to increase sustainability of the contact tracing workforce.