Dynamic emergency department response to the evolving COVID‐19 pandemic: the experience of a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Issue 6 (25th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Zhenghong; Teo, Tess Lin; Lim, Mian Jie; Nadarajan, Gayathri Devi; Segaram, Shashi S/O Chandra; Thangarajoo, Sanda; Wee, Liang En; Wee, Jeremy Choon Peng; Tan, Kenneth Boon Kiat
• Is Part Of: JACEP open. Volume 1:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 1395
• Page End: 1403
• Publication Date: 2020-09-25
• Subjects: COVID‐19 -- Emergency department -- Operation -- SARS‐CoV‐2; Medical emergencies -- Periodicals; 616.025
• DOI: 10.1002/emp2.12264
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0361-1124

Abstract

Abstract: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has placed large stressors on emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. As the pandemic progressed, EDs faced changing patient epidemiology and numbers. Our ED needed to rapidly transform to deal with the risk of COVID‐19. Having limited floor space, we opted for a phased, dynamic response that allowed us to adapt the ED multiple times as the epidemiology of the pandemic evolved. The principles behind our response include guiding ED operations with data, enhancing infection control practices, and being prepared to transform areas of the ED to care for different groups of patients. Our experience can serve to guide other EDs in planning their response to surge capacity and ED operations during such pandemics.