Maximizing the Role of Emergency Medical Services in COVID-19 Response (original) (raw)

The Role of Israel’s Emergency Medical Services During a Pandemic in the Pre-Exposure Period

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

Objective: The scientific literature on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is extensive, but little is written about the role of emergency medical services (EMS). The objective of this study is to describe the role of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency prehospital medical organization, in the pre-exposure period, before widespread governmental action. These efforts were based on (1) phone diagnosis, dispatch, and transport; and (2) border management checkpoints. Methods: This is a descriptive study of MDA’s role in pandemic response during the pre-exposure period. Medical emergency telephone calls from either individuals or medical sources were identified by a dispatcher as “suspected COVID-19” based on symptoms and travel exposure. Data were also collected for travelers approaching the MDA border checkpoint at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Results: The total number of protected transports during this time was 121. Of these, 44 (36.3%) were referred by medical sourc...

A Global Survey of Emergency Department Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2021

Introduction: Emergency departments (ED) globally are addressing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with varying degrees of success. We leveraged the 17-country, Emergency Medicine Education & Research by Global Experts (EMERGE) network and non-EMERGE ED contacts to understand ED emergency preparedness and practices globally when combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We electronically surveyed EMERGE and non-EMERGE EDs from April 3–June 1, 2020 on ED capacity, pandemic preparedness plans, triage methods, staffing, supplies, and communication practices. The survey was available in English, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish to optimize participation. We analyzed survey responses using descriptive statistics. Results: 74/129 (57%) EDs from 28 countries in all six World Health Organization global regions responded. Most EDs were in Asia (49%), followed by North America (28%), and Europe (14%). Nearly all EDs (97%) developed and implemented protocols for screening, testing,...

COVID-19 Pandemic: Management emergencies response and lesson learned from the Globe

WHO released the COVID-19 Pandemic that hit at least 223 countries and territories and global confirmed cases reached nearly 103,631,793 people and 2.17% of them died. Countries such as China, America, Europe, Belgium, Taiwan and Brunei Darussalam, have made various ways and efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be taken as potential practices and lessons. This literature review aims to investigate best practices that can be learned in emergency response and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic from various global countries that can be taken as learning and common good. This study method is a literature review, by accessing several peer-reviewed literature articles between 2020 and 2021 related to emergency response and lessons learned of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Based on the literature review that has been analysed, practices and lessons learned in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic can be identified, including: extensive public health infrastructure, establishment of temporary hospitals, effective isolation methods, increased social distancing, surveillance systems with digital technology, community involvement, and lock-down as a last alternative to inhibit the spread, as well as a crisis management approach from an Islamic perspective. It can be concluded that emergency response in decision making and policy is a very influential factor in the success of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Management of Pandemic Crisis: COVID-19

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences

The world is threatened with a novel corona virus (COVID-19) which has posed an unpredictable challenge to the public health workforce. It originated from the Wuhan City of China and spread across the globe creating havoc among the public and healthcare workers which led to WHO declaring it to be pandemic. Transmission of this virus is through symptomatic and asymptomatic patients in the form of fomites produced while coughing or sneezing. This has led to a global crisis subsequently leading to the scarce availability of health care resources such as personal protective equipment, ventilators, ICU beds, medication. Healthcare workers have been a vital human resource in providing treatment and assistance to the infected patients though they were facing a high risk of themselves getting infected by the coronavirus. They suffered from fatigue, physical, and psychological violence as they tend to work for longer hours. Detection of infected patients was implemented, as the widely used R...

Reorganising the emergency department to manage the COVID-19 outbreak

International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2020

Background The COVID-19 disease outbreak that first surfaced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has taken the world by storm and ravaged almost every country in the world. Emergency departments (ED) in hospitals are on the frontlines, serving an essential function in identifying these patients, isolating them early whilst providing urgent medical care. This outbreak has reinforced the role of Emergency Medicine in public health. This paper documents the challenges faced and measures taken by a tertiary hospital’s ED in Singapore, in response to the outbreak. Main body The ED detected the first case of COVID-19 in Singapore on 22 January 2020 in a Chinese tourist and also the first case of locally transmitted COVID-19 on 3 February 2020. The patient journeys through the patient reception area in the ED and undergoes fever screening before being shunted to isolation areas within the ED. Management and disposition of suspect COVID-19 patients are guided by a close-knit collaboration be...