Emergency Department Management of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
COVID-19
coronavirus
crisis management
pandemic
Journal
The Journal of emergency medicine
ISSN: 0736-4679
Titre abrégé: J Emerg Med
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8412174
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 2020
12 2020
Historique:
received:
05
05
2020
revised:
29
06
2020
accepted:
03
07
2020
pubmed:
20
9
2020
medline:
5
1
2021
entrez:
19
9
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Emergency departments (EDs) need to be prepared to manage crises and disasters in both the short term and the long term. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated a rapid overhaul of several aspects of ED operations in preparation for a sustained response. We present the management of the COVID-19 crisis in 3 EDs (1 large academic site and 2 community sites) within the same health care system. Aspects of ED throughput, including patient screening, patient room placement, and disposition are reviewed, along with departmental communication procedures and staffing models. Visitor policies are also discussed. Special considerations are given to airway management and the care of psychiatric patients. Brief guidance around the use of personal protective equipment is also included. A crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic requires careful planning to facilitate urgent restructuring of many aspects of an ED. By sharing our departments' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope other departments can better prepare for this crisis and the next.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Emergency departments (EDs) need to be prepared to manage crises and disasters in both the short term and the long term. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated a rapid overhaul of several aspects of ED operations in preparation for a sustained response.
OBJECTIVE
We present the management of the COVID-19 crisis in 3 EDs (1 large academic site and 2 community sites) within the same health care system.
DISCUSSION
Aspects of ED throughput, including patient screening, patient room placement, and disposition are reviewed, along with departmental communication procedures and staffing models. Visitor policies are also discussed. Special considerations are given to airway management and the care of psychiatric patients. Brief guidance around the use of personal protective equipment is also included.
CONCLUSIONS
A crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic requires careful planning to facilitate urgent restructuring of many aspects of an ED. By sharing our departments' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope other departments can better prepare for this crisis and the next.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32948375
pii: S0736-4679(20)30704-6
doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.07.022
pmc: PMC7346777
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
946-951Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.